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THE

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CHRISTIAN BRAHMUN;

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-MEMOIRS*

LIFE, WRITINGS, AND CHARAGTER

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OF THE

CONVERTED BRAHMHN, iSABAJEE.

INCLVDXNO

ILLUSTRATION? OF THE DOMESTIC HABITS, MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND-
SUPERSTITIONS OP THE HINDOOS ; A SKETdtl OP THE DBCKAN AND
NOTICES OF INDIA IN GENERAL, AND Jfe( ACCOUNT OF THE AME-
RICAN MISSION AT ABMEDNUOGUR. '

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• BT THE **

REV. HOLLIS'.READ,

Ame^etn Miniooary to Iadla.

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in two voljmss. ;. :
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• I. NEW-YORK:

* LEAVITT* LORD- & CO. 180 BROADWAY.
•BOSTON : CROCKER & BREWSTER.

,1836.

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■\ Jgntered according to Act of Congress, in. the year 1836, by LxAvirr,
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THE BRAHMUN, BABAJEE,

WAS CfffVBBTSD,

AND IN WH08B 8BBV1CB HB WAS A FAITHFUL SBBVANT^OF CBBin,

IN FBB ACHING THB GOSPEL*

TQcTHB HBAVHBN;

THIS M EMOHI i-L

16 BE8PBCTFULLY INSC&IBBD,
BY THEIR DKVOTBD

• FBUEND AND SBXYAJB 1 ,

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THE AUTHOR.

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CONTENTS.

Chapter I.

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, Preliminary remarks. — Birth of Babajee— hit childhood*- his coil*
nection with Missionaries — discharged on account of unfaith-
fulness — restored— his conversion. — The obstacles ill the way of

the conversion of Hindoos. — Babajee'* marriage^.. «*> 13

. «

Chapteb II. *

Babajee removes to Ahmednuggur. — His owrytccount of his con-
version, and the previous state of his mind — his eagerness for -9
instruction — his private character — his views of the Sabbath.—
Indolence characterizes the Hindoos. — Babajee becomes an ex-
ception. — Babajee' s Christian character delineated by way
of contrast with that of Brahmuns *.... 29 v

M Chapter III.

His tenderness of conscience— docile temper— humility. — A paper

on self-examination.— His dependence on* God.— Hid conquest

frOver covetousness. — His letter on this subject to other converts —

loves the Bible — feels for his countrymen. — Letter to Rev. Mr.

Anderson. ...:?. 58

, Chapteb IV-

His desire to be free from sin, in a letter to the native Church in
Bombay. — Assurance of hope. — His 'growth in grace. — Letter
to Mr. Allen — to Mr. and Mrs. Graves — to Dajaba — to Mr.
*H#aves. t: 79

* Chapteb V. * » *

•* **
^lindooism debasing te> the mind. — Theological papers illustrating^ v - '
"Babajee's mode of thinking. — The occasion of writing them. — *

Proofs of creation. — The existence of God. — The eternity of %> *'

God. — Hindoo'notions of God 4 %

m % a,

•

6 - , CONTENTS.

Chaptbb VI.

* Treatise! on Justification — Regeneration — Repentance — The Atone-
ment, and operation of the Spirit. — Necessity of the Holy Spi-
rit, 117

Chapth VII.

r Expedients for purifying the heart — Marks of a tfte Gooroo.— In-
struction in Sunscrit verse. — Babajee's poetry — four hymns.. . . 134

Chaptbu VIII.

" The latter period of his life — he labors more zealously. — Value of
native assistants. — Organization of the Church. — Elected elder.
1 —Moral society— rits rules.— His sickness and death. — Reflec-
tions. — Address to Christians— to Theological Seminaries. —
Prayer byBabajee ,/...,..., 145

» *

». -^

•

PART SECOND.

ChAPTSB. 1.

Little known of India in America. — Indian History divided into
three periods. — Little known of the first period. — Nature of tljeir
Historical ftecords. — How the Hindoos divide time.— Conquests
by the Muhumudans — by different nations of Europe — by the
English..., ; ;..... Wl

Chaptbb II.

Account of 'the Deckan — its extent — towns — villages.— Import-

ance as a missionary field.— Its former History 179 .

Chaptbb III.

Account of the Deckan continued — Face of the country, climate,
seasons, soil, productions. — Walled towns. — Open country. —
Flocks and herds. — No Roads. — Mode of Conveyance. —
Rivem.— Chief Towns.— Sketch of Poona .■ , . . 1 93

0- . Chapter IV.

Ahmednuggur. — A district of the same name — when formed — taken
- by the English — its ancient grandeur and present state. — Ruins
of Mosques, Tombs, Palaces, Gardens, and Aqueducts.*- Forti-
fications in the Deckan-Hill forts. — Excavated temples. — The ,
moral condition of the country. — An extensive field for Mission-
ary labor * /. , «. 212

Chaptm V. ' . *

Mission at Ahmednuggur. — Its origin— labors.— Death of Mr. Her- ,
vey .-—Removal of Mr. Graves. — First converts. — Three persons
• # baptized.— Arrival of Mr. Boggs. — First Monday, Jfcn. 1833.—

Inquiry meeting — baptize four — means employed in the Mission 229

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* PREFACE, : • *

The following memoir, wjKch has been ^rawn up in
'the midst of mfcny Interruptions, and under great disad-
vantages, is now. submitted to the perusal of the Chris-
tian public, with "no other claim of merit than that of ex-
hibiting the character of a Hindoo Brahmun, both before
and after his heart had* been subdued by divine grade* I
do it with the, hope that it may encourage the hearts] of
tbfe friends of Christian mictions to the heathen ; and si-
lence the cavils of those who demand more tlftn the light
ojf the sun before they will see. The fortner, I trusty will
bV able to see in 4he conversion, the labors, the life, tour
death of this Brahmun, a merciful token of .tfce great
Head «f the church, that the Brahmunical priesthood, that
the Hindfid nation, though they have been so long and
so Apply sunk in all thaf is degrading and disgusting
in idola^y, may yet be a holy priesthood arid a " JeKght-
somelfcnd." The latter, I would #rin hope, may be able
to discern in the same train of circamstaribes such a dis-
play of the sovereign grace and power of God, 4h0t they

• may be constrained ^acknowledge that the conversion
of the heatneais an%vent which the believer in divine* re^
velation may most confidently and most rationally expect.
Let such review the subject once more, and theotsay ifj
with the divine promises before them, and with a proper
notion of the divine attributes, they are not chargeable

*with a more grosa absurdity in disbelieving, than the .
friends of missions are in believing, that such a desirable
event can and will take ptac*

It is not pretended that the case of Babajee is a com-

♦ >

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PREFACE.

men one. His zeal for the conversion of his countryrtienv
his energy of character, his disinterestedness, fcis Spirit-
ual attainments, distinguished him from the converts with
whom I have had the happiness to be acquainted. What
has particularly induced me to draw up4he memoir is, the
belief that Babajee was selected by divine sovereignty as a
subjetfbon whom Godlnight display the riches of hk grace,,
for the honor of his name among the heathen, for the con fir- *^
mation of Jiis promises to the church, and for the encou-
. ragemefit of missionaries abroad, and their patrons at home.

f I must here caution thfereader that he do not expect
{60 much. The case of Babajee is only extraordinary
. when taken in connection with the attendant circumstan-
ces. Indeed in a Christian land he might afford a singu-
' lar specimen of firmness- and instability, of faith and
douT& of strictness and laxity, of spiritual joys and de-
pression, of ardent devotion, deep penitence and humility
joined with neglect of duty and occasional aberrations.
Duly to appreciate his 'character, the reader must transfer
himself for a moment to India. He mtlst there witness
the practices, the rites and ceremonies of the people, con*
template Jthe early education and the inveterate habits of
the heathen, and he will cease to* censure, and begin'to
admire, the wonderful change which was wrought in the
subject of the memoix. He will ©*ly wonder that dnrjne.
grace could so transform ar man. We use great indul-
gence on^accoont of the force of habit in a Christian
country. An ijpdel, a profligate, or a miser, is converted*
His heart is at once right, but many, an old habit) for. a
long time remains wrong. He may be over righteous to *
' on* fespeot, bpt. criminally lax in another. * These re-*
..marks apply to Babajee, but with less force, when" the
circumstances of his early impressions, and his deeply .
rooted and erroneous habits are taken* into the account,
than any oase I have ever known.

* I have added a Second Parti which contains vatkfeM *
facts, anecdotes*, remarks, and extracts from other fcutfiocs,
illustrative of the character, ^customs,' ajid reh'gfoft of the
Hindoos. This, with the accompanying sketch of the

• 4

4
*

PEEPACfi. tl

• - ■

Ttatlkan, and the general notices of Indian 1 the notes
which a^scattered through the whole, will, I flatter my-
self, interest the Christian inquirer, and also furnish the
general readme* .who is inquisitive to learn the character
-and customs of forjftgn inatioiis, with ao much information
as shall repay him f&r the perusal. *

Rkebkences' are made from : lhe Memoir tB^Part .
Second. * After .one half of the matter had gone to the
press, it was found necessary to bind the work in "two*
volumes instead of one, as originally designed. Conse-
quently a derangement has ^curred in regard to the
references. 'Instead of Chapter VT, Part Second, sea
Chapter 1, Volume -Second, and so onward. * •

I have throughout these volumes attempted ao undis. \
guised exhibition of Hindooism. This I have, in many-'
instances, found to be impossible, without sometimes trans-
gressing those strict rules of delicacy — amounting some-
times, perhaps, to squeamishness — which; in* our country,
the present age has prescribed. I' have, as- -far as possi-
ble, avoided all indelicacy of language. More* thaji (his
could not be done, without omitting entirely to speak on
sever&l subjects which, more than any other, go to de-
velop the real character of Hindooism. I could have .
said, as most wrjfers onm these subjects have said, that
• " delicacy forbids* me*' &c. But I have always regarded,
aucn apologies as miserable Substitutes for the information
jvhioh I was seeking, concerning the -national «nd the reV-
' IrgkJhs character of a great nation* of Paggps. The reader
rieed not, however, suppose that I have unblushingly told
. ##. \ Thgre still remains behind the curtain all those
■ things* which " may not *sb much as be named amdng
v. you." .. ' •

«■•, * I have like wise, pursued the same course in my ac-
counts of missionary operations in India, that I have in
reference to Hindooism.* «My only endeavor, in both
cases, has been to present a fair picture, without giving
an undue prominence either to light or shade.

The reader will excuse the plainness of the dress.
Circumscribed as has been my intercourse for some years

■• *

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EKErACE.

* «

past, with those who speak the English language, and
confined as. I have -been to the use of a foreign tongue, I
have sensibly. felt thefc meagernes* of my diction. The
critic will detect o*a»y Inaccuracies. I can only offer
# the* stereotyped "apology — which nobody will regard. . I
"present the book afe it is — a^njail tribute which { wish -to
pay ta the memory of §abajee, and an humble effort to
"keep the Mission with which, he was connected,' 4bd the
benighted people to which he belonged, in the eye of the
. "*Christi*m 'community. May it contribute, in some .humble
• fegrm* to the advancement of that cause in, which it ha*
^eea'tnv privilege to be engaged Ibr the last five years.
And may all the noble efforts which the patrons of that
Mpsioft are making to evangelize a great 'and interesting,
l)ut a* wicked and idolatrous nation, bs abundantly blessed^
**. " * ** ' * FT R.

: • ••• New-York, March' 4,1836. '*

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•*•

THE

CHRISTIAN BRAHMUN.

CHAPTER J.

latrodnctory remarks.— Birth of Babajee—his childhood— hit eon*
nectioD with Missionaries— discharged for unfaithfulness— restored
— faia conversion.— Obstacles in the wijr of the conversion of
Hindoos.— Babajee'a marriage.

That cunningly devised feble, which has tot
so many centuries infatuated the millions of India)
is called Hindooisoi. It is also, and more appropri-
ately, termed Brahmunism ; as it is a system of eon-
emmrnate priestcraft, taking its name from the Brah*
tmms, who are the legal priests of the country. The
p r iesth ood exalt themselves above every other easts
of their countrymen, and would fain have you be*
lieve that even the kkigs and the princes of the earth
nre their inferiors. The extraordinary pretensions
of the Brahmuns of the present day, their arrogance,
their subtlety, their avarice, their doplicity, their
selfishness, their pretended learning, and their real
ignorance, are, however, but the shadows of die
same unlovely qualities, which, many centuries ago,
prompted the Brahmuns of India to frame and to
palm upon the wretched people of this country their
present system of religion. This system is a str*-

14 THE CHARACTER OF BINDOOISK.

pendous monument of what the genius of man is
capable of effecting, when left to the guidance of un-
assisted reason. Here the rationalist and the infidel
may gaze and admire the fabric which the human
mind can build without the aid of Divine revelation !
We will freely concede to him that this mighty
structure is the legitimate product of human skill.

Hindooism, from the foundation to the top-stone,
is one cold system of selfishness. The ultimate ob»
ject of all is the aggrandizement of the priesthood ;
and the grand means by which this is accomplished,
is, the mental thraldom of the people. Their sacred
books, which contain the details of this astonishing
system of imposture, and which have been written
with consummate ingenuity, and diabolical skill,
are locked up in a language unknown and forbidden
to the people, and may only be read and explained
by the Brahmuns. All the learning of the nation
is monopolized by these same priests ; and the other
castes are either prohibited, or, as Jkr as possibly
prevented) from aspiring to the "dangerous pre-
eminence" of learning. Custom and caste and su*
perstition have been made, by the subtle priests, t$
conjoin in discouraging all attempts, which the com-
mon people might be disposed to make, to disen-
thral themselves from their hereditary ignorance.
And the usages of caste, again, as well as prejudice
prevent the Hindoos from travelling; and conse-
quently cut them off from all the advantages which

ttW*ABATKHf OF THE VBKAX.S SIX* , 1ft

tbey might otherwise gain by visiting foreign nations,
mad comparing other institutions with their own.

And nothing, perhaps, tends more to perpetuate
the mental bondage of the Hindoos, than the igno-
zance, and the consequent degradation, which Brah-
munisnt has entailed on the ft male sex. We very just*
Ijr attribute to the female part of onrcommnnity a great
abare of the mental exaltation, the refinement, and
the active benevolence which bless our society. But
w India woman is a blank. She exerts no influence
on Society, nor can she ever exert any under the
present state of things. A long and continued de-
gradation has rendered the Hindoo woman unquali-
fied to share in the intercourse of the other sex ; and
iron-handed prejudice forbids her to become qualified.
A sad experience has so long taught her that she is
inferior, and, by nature, degraded, that she now
seems fully to believe that she is so, and submits,
without a murmur, to be treated as a being of an
inferior species.

These things, without mentioning innumerable
other instances, which might be adduced as reasons
for the mental degradation of the Hindoos, exert a
powerful influence* to bring all things in subser?
viency to the Brahmuns. The more the religious
system of this people is examined, the more the con-
viction will force itself on us that the Aggrandize-
ment, and the pecuniary advantage of the priesthood,
are the ultimate objects of the whole. These senti-

16 THB DDPOETAlVeB OF TH» SaAMMUKS.

meals am every where taught in their sacred booing
and constitute a principal part of the instruction*
which the Brahmnns give to the people.

In their domestic and their social capacity,
nothing can be done without a Brahtnun ; and m
Brahman cannot work without a fee, or a test No
one but a Brahmun can determine on tacky and
unlucky days, of which they have an endless num-
ber, or explain signs and omens, dreams and visions*
No one but a Brahmun may read and explain the
sacred books; nor may a person of any other cast*
even touch these books. And no one but a Brahman
may officiate in any- of those ten thousand rites and
Ceremonies which are palmed on the poor Hindoo,
and which go to make up a great part of Brafaama-
ism. All offerings made to the gods are appropriated
by these avaricious priests; and the giving of presents,
and the distribution of money lor Brahmuns, is the
most effectual way of propitiating the ftvor of the
gods, and of procuring the pardon of sin. Penances
and pilgrimages are enjoined : but the most severe
penance may be commuted for a specified present
to the Brahmuns ; and the grand object of the pil-
grimage is, in the mind of the priest, to feed and en-
rich a set of idle Brahmuns, who officiate at these
holy places.

The Brahmun, again, is revered as a god. He
is addressed and worshipped as a god. The peo-
ple fall down before him, make him offerings, and

THEY ABB BBVBBID A3 OOPS. H

lick the wry dust of his feet. They believe that the
Brahmun may, on account of his righteousness and
by means of his enchantments, control both gods
and men.

Hence wiU appear the pre-eminence which is
every where accorded to the Brahmun. In all
things he domineers oyer the minds of the ignorant
atmltitude, taking every possible advantage which
his priestly character allows him, and abusing such
advantages to the extent of his power. He works
on the fears of the people ; he turns every supersti*
don and prejudice to his own account ; he checks
•very innovation, and every improvement, by the
imposition of unbending custom and caste ; he en-
forces his injunctions, and accomplished his will and
selfish purposes, under the insidious garb of religion:
The pride and dissimulation, the' intrigue and dis-
honesty of a Brahmun are proverbial! even among
a people who are almost, if not altogether, destitute
of all those moral virtues, which, in a Christian
land, w* regard as indispensable to the existence of
the social compact.

With the aid of these remarks, and of the reflec-
tions which they will naturally suggest, the reader
will be the better able to appreciate the following ao<
count of the conversion and the religious character
ef a Hindoo priest Babajee, the subject of this me-
moir, was a Brahmun. I knew him well before his
conversion, and can assure the reader that no excep*

18 BABAXBB I MM BIEW AMD CHILDHOOD.

lion can be made in his favor on account of his
moral character. He was as learned and as ignorant,
as false and as subtle as his brethren. He was as de-
void of moral rectitude, and as reckless of the happi-
ness and of the natural rights of his fellow-beings, as
any Brahman in India. Nor was there any thing ia
his childhood, or in his early education, thai would
seem to have prepared him for the extraordinary
change which afterwards took place.

Babqjee was born in the year 1791, at Rug-
gothna, in the southern Concon. We know but littls
of his childhood. His mother, he once told me, sacri*
fieed herself on the funeral pile of her husband*
when he was but four yean old : and thus be wai
at this tender age deprived even of that miserable
guidance which heathen parentage may afford Ba-
bajee had an only brother, younger than himself;
who became a religious mendicant The family
right of inheritance, of course, fell to Babajee. How
this passed from his bauds, or what became of it, I
know not. Probably he waa educated fiam the
avails of the estate.

About the year 1890, he entered the service of
the Rev. Mr. Crawford, of the Scottish Mission, as a
pundit, or teacher of the Mahratha language. He
remained there two or three years ; and there he
probably heard, for the first time, the way of salva-
tion by Jesus Christ. As might be expected from a
person of his naturally ingenuous mind, he was, at

COHNBCTJOH WITH MmtOKiOISb 19

times, not only persuaded of the foUy mid insuffi-
ciency of Hiodooism, bat be was partially con-
vinced of the truth and excellency of Christianity.
He sometimes appeared penitent, and wept on ac-
count of sin. This Btate of mind seldom continued
for any .great length of time. His relapses, however,
appeared rather towards a slate of infidelity, than
back, to idolatry, lie came to Bombay about Ike
year 1823, and from that time to his death he was
from time to time employed by the American Mis-
sion,

While in connection with the Mission, he pos-
sessed, and to seme extent improved, the means of
beoopaing father acquainted with Christianity. Ha
sometimes manifested compunctions of conscience^
which, as will appear in the sequel, from an account
given by himself) were real and sincere. An eyent
occurred in May, 1828, which, no doubt, had a con-
siderable influence in opening his eyes to the absur-
dity, as well as the tyranny, of Hiodooism. The
Mission, at that time, had made it an indspensabla
condition of service that their pundits, school-teach-
ers, and all in their service, should rise and remain
standing during the time of prayer, at the chapel. A
combination was formed to resist the regulation, and
all but Babajee refused to comply with it He said
there was nothing in the regulation improper in
itself, and nothing contrary to the Hindoo sacred
books; and although threatened with the loss of

M BJLBAJBl ARRAIGKBD BBFOUE THE BRAHMUHS.

caste in case of compliance, he promised to rise and
stand on the following Sabbath. He fulfilled his
promise. This brought down on his head a storm
of Brahminical indignation. Council after ^council
was held to condemn and cast him out. In one of
these assemblies, as he afterwards told me, where
there were present not less than a thousand Brah-
muns, he appealed to their reason and common
sense, and pointed out to them the absurdity, as well
as the unkindness of their persecuting him with such
severity, for doing what was neither improper in it*
selfj nor contrary to the requisitions of their shastras,
nor to the usages of the people in die worship of their
own gods. He also declared in that assembly, that
there were many Brahmuns there present, with
whom he had actually eaten beef, and drunken
brandy, and caroused for whole nights together. For
each flagrant transgressions, these Brahmuns had
not been cast out, or even censured, but were esteem*
ed as priests of the first respectability, while he was
arraigned without the charge of any such transgres-
sion. Eating beef, and drinking brandy, are things
for which a Brahmun ought (even according to the
Hindoo shastras) to lose caste, and for which he
would be considered an outcast, if it were known to
the people. He here referred to a private society of
Brahmuns, and others of high caste, who drink and
revel together without distinction of caste.

The indignation of this profane priesthood had

now •risen to to violent a pitch against this defi
less Brahman, and the atonements which tbey re-
quired of him weee of so humiliating a nature, that
the Mission thought it advisable for flabajee to leave
Bombay, until die violence of the storm should pan
over. He was accordingly, Jbr a time, sent ink) the
Deckan. After his return, little appears to hare
been said on the -subject. He was permitted to puiw
aue his occupations without molestation. The un-
warrantable and unreasonable treatment which he
had received, undoubtedly, for ever afterwards gave
him a disgust for many of the fooleries of caste, and
opened his eyes to the shameless corruption of the

** priesthood. No salutary effect, however, seems to
have been produced on his heart

When I arrived, in the spring of 1831, 1 found
him out of employ. He had been discharged on
account of unfaithfulness to business, arising from
his profligate habits. Mr. Allen, who discarded him,
deeming the punishment inflicted by the dismissal
sufficient to insure his better conduct, recommended
him to me as a Mahratha teacher. For some time,
I found him attentive to his business ; and he was
always anxious to have me make rapid progress in
die acquisition of the language. Though not unfre*
quently obliged to admonish him for irregularity,
Mid sometimes to rebuke him for advancing infidel

. sentiments, I could not but admire him for his kind,
open, and ingenuous heart. In October, 1831, when

St HIS COMVnSKftN : ▲ UTTM,

•bout to leave Bombay, to make a long tour en tb*
continent, I discharged Babajee, having previously
determined not to employ him after my return, un-
ites I could have some reasonable hope that he
would serve me more faithfully than he had done
for a few months past. At this time Mr. Graves
returned from the Neilgherry Hills. Babajee now
teemed awakened from his lethargy. The repetition
of the instruction which he had so often heard from
Mr. Graves, and the renewed appeals which were
now made to his conscience, sunk deep into hie
heart The instruction was accompanied by the
Holy Ghost, and he was soon brought to the foot of
sovereign mercy, to plead for pardon. The follow,
ing letter from Mr. Graves will present in a more
correct and striking manner than it is possible for
me to do, the circumstances of his conversion.

My Dxak Beothir Rbao

I have long neglected to write you respecting Babajee, My
health is my excuse.

There was an account of Babajee's conversion, perhaps suffi-
ciently full for your purpose, written by myself, and published in the
Oriental Christian Spectator, I think in October, 1831. I have not
a copy by me ; but you no floubt have it. From the often repeated,
and long continued instructions which Babajee had received, in our
mission, and previously in that of the Scottish mission, he was often
the subject pf very serious impressions. He sometimes stifled and
concealed these ; for he knew that his course of life, as well as his
idolatry, would condemn him; and he used often to say, that the
Christian religion was a very severe and strict one. He alluded
especially to its cognizance of the thoughts and motives, as well as
the external conduct. He had many convictions in favor of the
Christian religion ; and the more, because of its purity, and his own
conscious impurity. Yet, on some occasions, he reasoned against it
most stubbornly. At other times, he was overwhelmed with tears,
and acknowledged his obligations to embrace Christianity. On one
occasion he waa so deeply impressed, that, with his consent and

FROM US* GRAVES. 23

Jffcb, I prayed with and for ban. He knelt, end was deeply affected.
Yet those impressions subsided, or were subdued by bis opposition
to tbem ; so that he seemedmnfeeling ; and I had almost entirely
relinquished the hope of his conversion. But not knowing what
Blight prosper, after my return from the Neilgherry Hills, when he
called on me, I felt disposed to address him seriously. He- seemed
▼cry sedate, and I felt unusual freedom and pity. But the substance
of all that I pressed upon his consideration was, the importance off
deciding at that time, for eternity, what religion he would positively
choose. "Have you fully and. finally, for eternity, decided respecting
Che Christian religion ? Are you sure you shall have no wish or
occasion to reconsider." Do attend to it now, in such a manner that
you would be willing to have the decision unalterable for ever. You
nave eternity before you ; you may cause yourself joy or sorrow to
all eternity, as you fix your decision right or wrong. I entreat yon
to decide, so that you wnl not wish to change the decision for ever.
And then practice cheerfully and heartily, according to that decision.
There is a right and a wrong. Search them out — choose the good
and refuse the evil. Tour opportunity to decide favorably to your
interest, will soon certainly close for eternity. You cannot change
after death. You are now to act for an interminable time. Do not
miss." Such, as well as I can recollect, was the substance of my
address. He seemed rather serious, and disinclined to say any
thing of consequence in reply ; and presently took his leave. But
that night he could not sleep. He felt persuaded that the Christian
religion was true, and that he bad lived in a constant violation of the
dictates of his conscience, in his idolatry and wickedness : and he
resolved that, whatever might be the consequences, the next day
should fix for ever his separation from both. Accordingly, in the
morning, he left every thing but a drinking vessel, which he brought
with him to our house. When he tame, he cheerfully said that bis
mind was then made np, according to my advice. I was scarcely
prepared for such a declaration from him. and could scarcely under*
stand or believe it. However, I at length gave him my hand, after
hearing a little explanation, and invited urn into a private room,
where I prayed with him, that his. mind might be solemnised, ana
that he might understand and feel what he professed to do. After
me he prayed on his knees* in the first person singular ; acknowledg-
ing that he was worthy to be utterly and eternally rejected, yet
entreating God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to receive him on
the ground of grace in Christ alone, and to purify and accept him
lor ever. Such a solemn self-dedication and confession astonished
me, as totally beyond my anticipation, .and such as I had scarcely,
If ever witnessed. I could not but think it sincere. He immediately
relinquished caste, and all his connections, expecting nothing but re-
proach, as he afterwards often said, and not looking for any earthly
good whatever. But you know how happily he was disappointed,
by the softening down of the enmity of his friends, and their convic-
tion, to some extent at least, that he was sincere and cordial, if not
in the right For my own part, such was the fullness of my con-
viction of his sincerity, that I dared not long defer his baptism, and
felt myself called upon to admire the change, and praise the Lord on
his benaJt And his serious and steady perseverance afterwards*

94 EEKUlfCIATIOK OF CISTS.

gave me no occasion to change my opinion. I still feel myself catted
upon to acknowledge and admire the visibility of the Divine hand,
in effecting so obvious and great a change. May the Lord multiply
such trophies of grace, and receive ail the praise.

On my return from the continent, after an ab-
sence of five weeks, I welcomed Babajee as a bro*
tber in Christ. The grace of God, in so suddenly
arresting this profligate Brahmun, and bringing him
at once so cordially to renounce idolatry and all its
usages, and to embrace Christianity, seemed too
marvellous for human credibility. He had now
been baptized, and admitted to full communion in
the church. This, in almost any case among the
heathen, would be regarded as hasty, and a most
hazardous experiment But the evidence that a
work of grace was begun in his heart, appeared so
obvious, that Mr. Graves, whose experience of the
duplicity of the native character would almost, m
any other instance, have led him to hesitate, appro-
ved of his immediate reception. It is remarkable,
considering the tenacity with which the Hindoos
cling to the usages of caste, how easily he at once
renounced them, and never after seemed to have
any struggle on the subject.

No one acqtiainted with the force of early habits,
will be astonished to be told that it is not the busi-
ness of months, and, in many cases, not even of
years, to enable a native convert to divest himself
entirely of all those ten thousand superstitions and
absurdities which he imbibed with his mother's

F0BC8 OP HABIT. 25

ttrilt Notions about lucky and unlucky days,
omens, signs, dreams, ghosts, hobgoblins; things
pure and impure, ablations, penances, usages of
caste, and an innumerable list of minor observances,
as inconceivable by the Christian, as common and
inveterate with the Hindoo, are engrafted on the
mind from his earliest infancy. To think to eradi-
cate them by human expedients, is to think to form
a new creation. No one properly acquainted with
the Hindoo character, will affirm that a Hindoo
may, by mere human efforts, ever be brought to
relinquish what has, by education and habit, become
his nature. Poverty, which in this country means
the want of those things which are absolutely neces*
sary for mere subsistence, pressing him on one
hand, or avarice exciting him on the other, may in*
due* him, externally, to cast off his superstitions, and
to feign a compliance with the sentiments and
usages of those from whom he hopes to gain the
object of his desires ; but a cordial abandonment of
his own religion, not to say the conversion of his
heart, and a radical change from those usages, prac-
tices, and superstitions, which are alike repugnant
to reason, common sense, and Revelation, can only
be effected by the almighty power of God. Over*
looking such agency, it is no wonder that so many
nominal Christians, and none more than those who
are best acquainted with the character of the Hindoo,
affirm that the Hindoos cannot be converted to Chris-

26 OBSTACLES TO

tlanity, not any Radical change be produced among
them. Leaving Divine omnipotency out of the
account, my opinion will fully coalesce with theirs*
But once bring into the account the idea of Divine
agency, which I here most fully and joyfully admit,
and the sure promises of God, on which I rely as the
only basis on which we can ground the conversion
of the Hindoos, and the question is in an instant
changed from one of entire despondency, to one of
the most sanguine hope. We then at once see that
they can be brought, not only to conform to the
external rites of Christianity, but to exemplify its
virtues in uprightness of intention, refinement of
feeling, purity of heart, and holiness of life.

It is lamentable, and ought to humble us before
God, and make us feel our dependence on sovereign
grace, to confess that such instances of conversion
have as yet been extremely rare in this part of India :
still, enough has been done to convince the missionary
and his patrons, that the grace of God is abundantly
sufficient to overcome every obstacle which the de-
pravity of men, in its cunning devices, has thrown
in the way of the conversion of this people. Babajee
may, I trust, without presumption, be presented to
the friends of missions, as a very striking example
of this. The obstacles, in his case, were as great as
are to be looked for any where. Prom his infancy,
he had been acquainted with all the ordinary means
of licentiousness and corruption which are to be

thb mraoo's coHVxssioif. ftt

met with among a most licentious and corrupt
people; and tot the last ten yean he had beea
acquainted with what, in reference to the hcathoo,
Johns a no less barrier to the prevalence of Chris-
tianity, the ungodly lives of Europeans. He saw the
vast majority of the representatives of Christianity
in India, indulging in sins which put to shams the
heathen themselves. He could see no connection
between the pare doctrines of the Gotipel, and the
ungodly walk of the greater part of those who pro-
fess to be the disciples of its Author ; and, therefore,
very naturally concluded that Christianity, like the
system of the Yadas, is some Utopian notion of vir-
tue, got up by a designing priesthood, but not de-
signed to be reduced to practice, except by a few
ascetics. He had also seen that the vast numbers
of Hindoos and Mussulmans who have heretofore
been converted to Christianity by the Romanists,
differ but little from their heathen neighbors, except,
having thrown off the few restraints which caste
and superstition imposed, they enjoy greater license
to indulge in all kinds of vice. None of these things
had escaped the discerning eye of Babajee, One
day when I was urging on him the claims of Chris-
tianity, he replied, " Your system is very good, and
so is ours, if stripped of corruptions and additions,
but nobody practices according to either system.
You say, one God only must be worshiped, and so
do we. In order to enable an ignorant people to

M ILLICIT XHimOOVlfl*

worship this invisible God, whose greatness thsy
cannot comprehend, end whose parity they cannot
appreciate, we introduce inferior deities to aid them ;
tat the great majority of Christians are satisfied
without worshiping any thing." His conclusion
was, that the world is extremely depraved; and so
deep is the disease, that no remedy can reach it.
Such having been his circumstance*, and such the
state of his mind, the conclusion is forced cm ma
that Qabajee was, through the free and sovereign
grace of God, a chosen vessel of mercy, on which
God designed from the beginning, to " make known
the riches of his glory," for the confirmation of his
promises, for the encouragement of missionaries,
and for a pledge of salvation to the Hindoos.

Previous to his conversion, Babajee had been
Hving for several years, illicitly, with one of those
unfortunate females, who, having lost their affian-
ced husbands in childhood, are forbidden. by the
laws of caste again to marry* These women,
though prohibited to marry, are, in many instances,
taken by Brahmuns, and treated in every respect
as wives. In most cases, however, they become
common prostitutes. Hence it is, no doubt, that
the terms widow, and prostitute, are synonymous*
Babajee and Audee (the name of the woman,)
lived together with a mutual understanding that

* See Chap. VL Part II.

HIS MAfcRLAQB. 89

each should perform the relative duties of hut*
hand and wife ; and, as far as it is known, they cher-
ished for each other as strong a conjugal affection
as is to be expected in the state of society in which
they lived. On embracing Christianity, he irnma*
diately felt the impropriety of remaining in his pre*
sent condition with this woman. He therefore com-
municated to Mr. G. the particulars of the connec-
tion, and requested that he might now be lawfully
married to her. Having ascertained that such was
the wish of both parties, the Mission thought fit to
comply with the request; and they were accord-
ingly married, in December, 1832, in the American
Chapel, at Bombay.

CHAPTER II.

Babajee removes to Ahmednuggur.— His own account of his con-
version, and the previous state of his mind. — His eagerness for
instruction — his private character— his views of the Sabbath. —
Indolence every where characterizes the Hindoo. — Babajee be-
comes an exceptipn.-!-His character delineated by way of con*
trast with that of common Brahmuns.

The day following his marriage, Babajee left
Bombay with his now lawfully wedded wife, to
accompany the brethren who had been set apart to
form a mission at Ahmednuggur. He now appeared
peculiarly animated with the prospect which lay
before him. The Deckan, till recently closed against

40 RBKOTM TO THE 9SCKA1C.

all missionary labor, now opened to him a field of
new adventure. His only wish, from this time,
seemed to be* that he might live for the good of his
countrymen, and, in every possible way, lighten the
burdens, and strengthen the hands, and encourage
the hearts, of those devoted to the welfare of the
heathen. The reader will here be more interested
to learn from Babajee himself, what were his views
and feelings, and what the struggles of conscience
against the heart, for some time before he resolved
to embrace the offer of salvation as made known in
the Gospel. The following paper was written some
weeks after his arrival at Ahmednuggur ; and, as it
illustrates more accurately than I can do, the pro-
cess which the mind of a Brahmun , must pass
through, before it can reach the goal of truth, it is
inserted. Like most of his written papers, it bears
no other title than

" Babajee, a servant of Jesus Christ 19
" This is the controversy which I had with my
mind before I became a Christian. I first reasoned
with my mind thus : O, my soul ! art thou sinful or
not? Then the soul replied, yes, I am sinful, and
am still committing sin. Then, I said, if thou
remainest in sin, what will be thy reward ? My soul
said, if I die in sin, I must suffer punishment in
hell for ever. Then, continued I, does it seem good
to thee to endure eternal punishment? The soul
repVied, it does not seem good. If it does not, what

VIEWS 07 HUfDOOWf .

then art thou doing to escape the just recompense
of sin ? Truly, thought I, by walking according to
the Hindoo religion, I am only worshiping and ser-
ving idols, and calling over the names of Rain,
Vishnoo, Kristna, and of the multitude of our other
deities. But what does this profit? This is bat a
system devised by man, while the religion ordained
by God, must be for all men. What ! replied my
mind, are all men of one caste? Is this what thou
meanest? Think not so. But, discarding such a
thought, I again reasoned — suppose there be eigh-
teen castes* of men ; be itso : of what caste then is
my soul ? There is no caste to spirit. ' Caste can
only apply to the body. While in the body only, I
am of the Brahmun caste ; and to obtain salvation
by Htndooism, I must walk according to the religion
which God has given to this caste/ Do I fulfil the
requirements of our own sacred books? Do I, as re-
quired in our shastras, arise before the sun, go
abroad into the field, and attend to the demands of
nature as prescribed by our shastras ?t Supposing
this properly performed, do I, at the specified time,

* The Hindoos believe there axe eighteen castes of men in the
East who wear the turban, called uthra pugard jat (eighteen castes
of turban menh also eighteen castes of Europeans called topes
walla (hat men).

t Delicacy forbids the naming of the rales which are detailed in
the Hindoo shastras on this subject. The time, distance, position,
manner of cleansing themselves, &c, &c, are all among their rati-
gious rites. And, if a Hindoo's salvation were suspended only on
these requirements, he would fail. Now, when it is considered that
these are but one of a thousand, how can the deluded wretch expect
to be saved by his law 1

83 mn of bkahmuhb.

(before the rising of the sun,) and agreeably to the
rales, perform the sacred bathing, and offer the
appointed oblation to the sun ? This I do not. Am
I not then found guilty, my own shastras being*
judges? I am, indeed, found wanting. And ano-
ther question I asked myself; is it any where writ-
ten in the Brahmun's shastras that a man may com-
mit adultery ? No ; it is nowhere thus written con-
cerning any one. Now, O, my soul ! thou art this
moment living in the practice of adultery, and
knowest thou not that it is a sin ?

" I indeed knew it to be sin ; and that in commit-
ting it, I was fallen (that is, defiled, according to
the Hindoo law). But all Brahmuns commit adul-
tery, and no one regards them polluted on that ao
count ; why then am I defiled ? The case seems to
be this : if they were to pronounce him who eomr
mits lewdness an apostate, and outcast, they would
condemn themselves. But this is certain, that who*
ever breaks one of the Divine commands is fallen in
the sight of God ; and the consequence of this trans-
gression is punishment in hell. Let me not share
with him. I must then walk according to the shas-
tras. But this I cannot do. I am sinful from my
birth, and cannot therefore work out a proper right-
eousness. A man may, for once, with much effort,
fulfil the requirements of our shastras. Still he does
no more than his duty ; gets no merit by this, while
he would contract much guilt by neglecting them.

INCARNATIONS. Si

Moreover, if from this time forward I fulfil the re-
quirement* of the shastras, nevertheless on account
of past tra n sgre s s ions, theft is past guilt By what
means will this be pardoned? By the worship of
Bam, Vishnoo, Kristna, and all those called incaiw
nations, future punishment can never be escaped*
Concerning these incarnations, I have one woid td
my ; let my mind understand it (Here follows a
Sanscrit eholok.) The meaning of which is, " all
those incarnations did not take place for the protec-
tion of the saints only, but for the destruction of sin-
ners." Am I a saint? If I am a true saint then I
may be saved by them; but if a sinner, then they
will destroy me : therefore, it cannot benefit sinners
to worship -these gods. Some will say, " true, these
incarnations were for the purpose of destroying the
wicked, (the enemies of the gods,) and must be wor-
shiped to appease them." All we know of them is
that they wBl destroy all who are not saints. Be*
sides, I am a worshiper of idols ; and it is said by
some that idolatry is a heinous sin before God. An
image is not God. As the Deity exists in the water,
tree, and stone, so he exists in the image. But there
is no power or faculty in ati idol. He cannot speak;
has feet, but cannot walk ; hands, but cannot handle;
eyes, but cannot see. Hence, it appears evident, that
by ceremonies prescribed in the shastras; by the
worshiping of idols; by vain repetitions of muntras;
by holy bathing ; by religious austerities, and such

34 EMPLOYS A GOOBOOw

like expedients, freedom from sin, and Messednest
after death can never be obtained. What then shall I
do? Who will rescue me from this ocean of sin?
Alas ! nothing that I can do can save me from the
punishment of sin.

" When my mind was thus distressed, I resolved
to cast aside every system of religion, forsake the
world, and flee to a gooroo.* I then employed a
Brahmun, by the name of Wasadeo, as my gooroo ;
of him I learnt the muntras.t These I repeated no
less than three thousand times. For a time my
mind was satisfied. But soon I began to reason*
with myself again. Is my gooroo without sin ? If
not, how can a sinful gooroo save a sinful disciple %
What now shall I do ? Where shall I find a sinless
gooroo? Alas! alas! among the whole human
race there is not a sinless man to be found. For all
men from their birth ate sinful. Then I brought
to mind the instructions I had heard, how that the
Almighty, all* wise, ever just, merciful and holy God,
in order to make an atonement for the sins of men,
had took on him the nature of man, and become in*
carnate in the world. The name of this incarnation
is the anointed Saviour, Jesus Christ He now sits

* A gooroo is a'spiritual JuicTe, and with the Hindoos a sanctifie?
and saviour. Almost every man employs his gooroo. According to
the Hindoo books, he must be sinless.

t Muntras are charms, or incantations, which are muttered over by
the Brahmuns. By these they pretend to bring the Divinity into an
image, and do various other things equally probable. See Chapter
ULPartn.

SBBKi THE saviootl 85

•

at the right hand of God, making intercession for all
who repent and believe on his name. While in this
world he endured, for more than thirty years, many
sufferings for the sins of the people. He obeyed the
Divine commands, and for the sake of man, he, who
was Almighty, became of no reputation, and gave
his life for sinners. The wicked people charged
him with fault, but no guilt was found in him. He
was altogether holy, and could therefore make an
atonement for sin. He is the way, and by him only
can I enter the kingdom of bliss. It is said in onr
shastras that the good works of a sardoo (saint) are
his way to heaven. But what ate described to be
tbe marks of a sardoo ? They are these — equity,
4ompas8K>n, self-denial, freedom from anger, and dis-
regard of caste. But such a man is not to be found;
for all men are deceitfol and deceived, covetous,
lascivious. Therefore, O my soul, despise thyself,
' and flee for rt fuge to God, the Saviour Jesus Christ,
and he will make yon worthy by the Holy Spirit.
Hast thou ever heard of him of whom I now speak ?
Yes, I have often heard of him, and read his shas-
tras. And what do you think of him ? I believe the
Christian shastras to be true, and Jesus Christ the
true Saviour of the world. Why not then believe
on him ? Should 1 believe on him and be baptized,
should I not be defiled ? According to the Chris-
tian shastras the things which defile a man, are these
—evil thoughts) murders, adulteries, fornication,

SO 18 BAFTIULO,

theft, lying, deceit, and such Idee things. By loving
unholy objects, my mind has become polluted.

" I have despised the goodness of God, whieh
should have led. me to repentance. What shall 1
now do to be saved 1 I then determined that I would

- renounce all worldly hope, cast off the fear of the
people, repent, and flee to Jesus Christ, and cry with
my whole heart to God the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, three in one, that he would have mercy on
me. I fully resolved to go to Jesus, to be baptised
and partake of the Lord's Supper, and to keep my-
self from sin. I then prayed to the living God, and
communed with my own heart. I resolved to go to
Graves Sahib, tell him my whole heart, and ask
baptism. I begged that I might remain with him,
as I did not like to go to my own dwelling. After
having examined me, and tried me for a few days,
his Christian brother Hervey Sahib baptized me, in
the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Ghost, three in one : and the same day, I partook of
the Lord's Supper. In the good instructions which
Graves Sahib then gave me, he said, think not that
your work is done, for the obligation under which
you are now laid to labor for your countrymen is
very great From that time I have examined my*
self, to see if I walked according to the Gospel. If
I find myself acting or thinking contrary to my

' Saviour and my God, I repent, forsake it, and ask
forgiveness. When I do right, I know this is through

■ ' f * \' ' y

_ sffniss rti biSlk. * \ . jy

tiie affluence of the Holy Spirit, and forAw, I thank
God. *Mdi|$ver, I j&ive myself in* t£e "hand* of
Gjlfl, through the mercjy <ff Je^te Clajfct. n . I"

Prom Jiffs arrivatln Ahmednwggur, Babajee b*.
cahie ^a* efficient member *in the- lesion. He had
already acquired a Considerable knowledge of the
Scriptures ; m3eed, hi^oss^^ed * pretty good iheo/e-
tical acquaintance with Christianity before he knew
its spiritual intefttf But now he soughtDivine assist*
ance, and gave him&lf iftp to seek the truth »r£-
vealOT through gfesus Christ. He seitaft on every
new truth to which his mind was direct*^ or which
discovered its&f £o him in his TehdTi^or trmdiftrtfoo,

♦rffritfi an ftvfftity truly astonishing. ' It was gttltfy-
ing to see ^nth what delight he would hang on year

" lips, while relating to bita some potttftt of Sacred

' B&tfory which Vd not yet been transiaWfr; ' dr HHis-
(mtingBon» particular «oetrine#rith wbfthhe wfts
but partially, of ntot at all acquainted f qr wfille di-
recting histaind to soma eminent examples of Chris-
tian- JtJbittidrord^^ He grasped the tnrih
Vitlf^ecuHar eagelfeess, and seldom . would * bIIow

^ evert* a* suggestion, or an inddetotA mention of any
one trulh, wh4h he dicfnot wc^l nndematKi, to pa*,

> jtitl he*tod, by further inquiry, mot only made him-
self master of it, tet made it subservient to his own

.benefit by a setf-applioation. Nor would he stop

here. He, «or<e peculiarly than any person I have

ever met, had the happy talent, or rather, I should

• 4

•>♦

•

88 ♦ HIS FKIVATB~€tf*RJ«TEll.

say, the jiyaftabie spiritual gift, 4t comfifcnicfcting
to, others, ao£ of enforcing on their ..consciences,
every truth which b* had himself acquired.
. Inkis demeanor, a* a man or a* a Christian, lie
was -modest, gentle and'affectjkMAite, kind-hearted
and ingenuous] conscientious and uprigtft io,his
secular dealings, ferment and*active in his piety;
frequently ferti* in devising, and alWby* willing*
and ready in co-operating, to accomplish any plan
of usefulness? To say that he had no«rore, would
be to say ttytt he was not human : or to say tftat he
did not sometimes fell into errors which would, at
fii$t sight, excite the surprise of the good people tik
a Christian lapd* would-be to affirm what no one
acquainted with the perversity of the Hindoo's heart
would , expect ftom bn$ but just emerged from pa*
ganism* .From 4us conversion \o -his death, the
writer does not recollect ai M nstanCe when a hint, as
a genfle, rebuke, was erer^ jeceived unkindly, jm^
was not found sufficient to correct an error, though
that enpfr weie tfie result of long*fcabit, or the off*
spfingof wrqpg instruction iq childhood* * *. *
v It was a long time before he fully cqpprehendeg •
the length and this breadth of the fourth command.
That the Sabbath is a day of rest front all secular
avocations, and should be in a special manger de-
voted to the worship of God, bpth public and pri- tj^W >
vate, he well understood ; but 4 he did >not so fully
comprehend that it should .be. sanctified to the end, to .

.'X'

5 » *■

ft. >

v t • ' * ♦

vnw or m sasbath. % . W

the otte«#xdu*n of Xfaness, de^iqf , worldly
oooTersatioq, and such Jibe wtnifciotifr on holy lime.
UofitvoraWe « ibis may at fit* appear to one e<hh
caied in a Christian land, ho will greatly moderate
feis censure wMft tye reflects that the idea which
tbeHin&o attaches to a lyiy 4*y, Mars bo analogy
to the notion which the devswt Chrilrtt^B entertains
of the Sabtatk. These holy dayqpwhich amount
in all to more than three months tNrttof the twelve,*
are, for the most part, professedly days of worships
hot, ideality, days of xevelitgs and <^baueh?ry ;

~ and it is but making a modemte allowance 'for the
force of habfr, to eqneeivn that the mind of a
Brahmuivwtrich had for* more than' thirty years
been nurtured in' the tndbt degrading notions of its
obligations to the ^pre^-ISeiftg,; should, even
when partially* en ltgfctea*i $y Dkiae gntce, <$tiH
incline io identify <tbe sncreAday-of -the 'Christian

. with its miserable suhqfkitte.t< . - ,

. In Justice to Babqjee, AovsTer, labpuld add that
these Remarks apply to him with ^s < force, 4H air to*
any aonttert wfeieh I Jiave inawu fn fins part of
India, ^ % • . - ■ % #

Nop. ought we to. wonder, «shqsrld converts from
paganism lyr found Ihmeulabiy deficient in tndtfs-
trious baSita Diligence an business is almost as

r rare a quality &n\oifg tke Hindoos as fervency of

► « * ■*■ ._ -«'

* See Chap. V]L*1Pat»'U/ *;

t See the conckiakm'of Chap; XL Part IX.

4ft .HINDOO nCDQLSNGC*

spirit m serving the Lord. They sewn to know
nothing of the' value, of time. This, a^ded to their
natural indolence, forms one* of the most obstinate
barriers to their improvement It is only dire ne-
cessity, or sensual gratification, that irilpfcls them to
action. The Arabian prophet well undeiftdod these
traits<rf character in the people of the East, when
he made the enjoyment of heaven to consist princi-
pally in inactivity and Sensual gratification. Te
eat and drinjfc. smoke the hookar, lounge in perfect
listlessness, sleep, an4 wallow in beastly indulgence,

* secpn to form in the mind of the generality of Hin-
doos the acme of bliss. This native indolence of
character i» confirmed by long habit, and fostered
by a great variety of long established customs ; and
though JDivine grace may produce a more visible
eb^ge in them than is generally ^served in the

: conversion of nominal Christians, yet there is, in this
respect, a most lamentabfe deficiency in all converts
which have-fallen under my notice in India. *

'The subject of this mea&eiiytf weighed* in ;ther»
balance of Christian diligence in America, would b& *

^found wanting ; but when tried by ,the heathen
standard, or whc*cowpared with «ny thing I have
seen among native converts, he was truly an exam- /*
pie worthy of imitation. .• •

I have already alluded to Babajee's eagerness to *ty
search after truth ; to his^rGtdine&s to distinguish
between good and evil; his concern for the welfare j

."i

. ^* ^ TJIAITS OF CEAlClXR, '41

Of A& countrymen ; the facility- tHth which ha
. <ibandoned any ride of caste, (ft other long esta-
blished custom, or prejudice, or superstition, the
moment when hfe ; saw its unlawfulness or impro-
priety ;— Ms umfwfn, adherence to truth, and Ms
simplicity of ch*r<icter, and honesty in all his secu-
lar dealings, as collectively constituting a meet plea-
sing and satisfactory proof that his understanding
had*been enlightened, and his heart renewed by
the Holy Ghost. . v Most of these train would, I am
aware,* afford in a Christian land but little/ or no de-
cisive evidence of a genuine work of grace ; but net
so in a hesfthen land, as the following remarks m
4 reference to the general character of the natives • of
India will illustrate. I take the Brahmunapfor an
example, not only because they ace the priests, aftd
give character to the views and sentiments of the
., people, but because Bahajee was a Brahmun j. and *
* ' " it will thereby appear that the above-mentfpfied
traits, which, in Christian lands, might be but the
w : ' results of education, *re by no means such among •
^ * the class erf people to whiqh Babajee belonged.

* As each of these particular^ will serve to present
the- character 4f our lamented toother in his true
light, and a^t^e same time to exhibit the corruption
. of the Hindoo priesthood, I {pak* no apology ibr en-
* ' ; . larging on thfem, that the contrast may appear.

1. Eagerjiess te+eyrch after the truth, is n*»

where, as I can discover, a characteristic of a Brah*

•**

-•

42 . JABAJEE-S CHARACTER # * » „ *

mun, I refer mere particularly to Brahmuns in thfe
interior, Adhere they bfcve bad but little or no inter-
course with Europeans on the subject of science or
religion: for with such I have had^he Most to doc
But of the great number with whom I have con-
versed, on the different topics iftvaived in our rela-
tion to our Creator and Redeemer, and on the
various subjects of science which have from time to
time formed the subject of discussion, I do not know
that I can hoftptly make an excjjgion, when I say,
that I have not found one who showed a decided
wish to know what is true and what false. At the
time, I have frequently thought^Jifferetffty ; but Ike
. . jesult has generally shown, that .an interested mo-
^ tive laf at the bottom of 111 their concessions. They .
stupidly believe, or pretend to Relieve, every thing
whisk is handed down from their forefather* When,
' questioned to know #*y they believe this, or tfafe
t thing, they will reply, that investigation ox-timm**

aion is no part of their duty ; for those matters Were,
• all piously examined and settled by the good men of
old 5 and that it ill beconjes them, in thfs4ri^e)ieiaffe •'
age, to doubt the wisdom of their very holy and
learned ancestors. . If asked, why th^y believe there
is one sea of ghee, one of milk, another of honey, q£
4bc., or why they believe that sin can be expiated ty
bathing, pilgrimage, feasting Brahmuns, or by pen-
ance, they reply very comfla&ntly, " So # it is wiitten
jn our shastras ; and surely our pious fcrefattiera j

-■ i

» . " • » • ' • %

« * - » CONTRASTED. * '43

understock; thfes^ matters." They Will tell yon, toQ, .
though not in a scriptural sense, "that as a man
believeth, so is he :" that is, if he believe a stone, or
<a free, or any viable object, to be a god, to him it is
i- so; 4>r if he believe a sinful creature to be his
i- satfiou*, or a bad taaifr to be a good man, to him he '•
s becomes so. Hence the second particular mentioned
) will also appear true, namely :

2. That the Brahman shows a most stupid de-
ficiency in distinguishing between gmd and evil.
They call good evil, and evil good ; light darkness,
and darkness light. Lying is good, if it result in ''
immediate b&efit : t* speak the truth is evil/ if it
terminate in immediate loss. Meats and drinRs, '
divers washings and corporeal inflictions, make up
their righteousness, *hile sin is really but a trans- "
greesion of the laws of caste. To lie, steal, cheat, de- .
_ £eive, commit adultery, and xriHibw like swine in the *
' * 4k& <tf moral turpitude, is too trifling a thing to be »

named : it fe wily whut their gods did before them*
^ But to eat with a man of another caste, however
respectable lie may be, or to drink out of the same
-^oup, is a sin only pardonable by a large SVun of
i °\ "jaaoney ! A Brahmun becomes polluted by eating
Jp* ^feith his .own prostitute, but not by cohabiting with
' ^ he& although she be of low caste*
!•* ^S." Xhe anxiety and disinterestedness which

[ Babajea manifested in MS ejforts far the welfare of
his countrymen, botfr in this worlfl and the world to .

* V • < *

* 44 BABATBI'S CPARACTWl -•

QOme, are traite which we in vain search forfcmong
the Hindoo priesthood. «Disuiterestedness4Ehd gra-
titude are ideas, to express which there are no cor-
responding terms in the Indian lgpguagetf^ and it
may be questioned whether any such ideas exfef in
a native's mind; However 'this may be,, it is a
'lamentable fact, that effort of any kind are very
seldom or never fiiade for the spiritual benefit of
their fellow beings. How can a gleam of benevo-
Jence warm* the heart trf> one, jrho fancies^hat die
shadow of a man of low caste pollutes him ; and who
will affirm, as I have heard them, that he would not
lay hold of sftch *a. one to pull bim out of a Xtch,
though this were the only mean* to save the poor
. maira life ? They most industriously conceal from
the people the books which they regard as divine,
asserting, as if written in them, any thing which \
best suits their own purposes. Tffere probably never
was, since the creation of die world, so complete arid ^
gross a system of priestcraft as Hindooism. Not a '
precept is inculcated, not a ceremony is palmed on
the people, that does not directly or indirectly go to
aggrandize or profit the priesthood. The > poor
wretch is told to make a pilgrimage, and is pro-
mised iri consequence a large stock of merit. This ^J
is to* feed a set of lazy Brahmuns, and tp support a *
train of vile prostitutes,, who k€fg> the holy pi%a.*
For the poor man may rest assured,' tfaafr he #i|

* See Chief* VEI. Part II.

^ • • •
.-*'+ cojmusrfcD. 45

' nev^fepve the satisfaction of knowing that the ob-
ject otitis pilgrimage is accomplished, and that he
may return home, till his money m gone. * Almost
every; t$ent in the common occurrences of life, must
be attended with some silly ceremony/ This is that
the Brahmnn may- get a fee. The mental improve-
ment, much, less, the eternal welfare of the people,-
forms 00 part of a Braftmun's wishes and plans in
reference to tiis flock. As far -as he manifests any
concern about them, it se§ms to be to beep them in-
volved in the grojf darkness of ignorance. When
the drunkard becomes sober, or tht profane man de-
xcfy, or thfe highway robber ap honest man, he Joes
not exhibit a taor*decided change <Jf hearty than the
Brahmun does when his breast glow^ with b^evo- 4
lence towards his kind. Being themselves supremely
selfish, they cannot conceive haw any one should be
otherwise.. Henft the idea, which has now for
these twenty years been held out, that the missionary
enterprise is a disinterested thing, solely for their
own. benefit, appears to them perfectly preposterous.
It is to be doubted, whether one piH o£ a thousand of
> jthose who know something of the nature of mission-
ary exertions, yet belie Ves that there is not behind th%
curtain some grand scheme of profit or aggrandize-
ment, both to missionary societies and to their mis-
sijgpries. Formejly, they supposed them connected

^with government for sorue important' purpose. We

«. - «» • * • >

* See Chap. XXJParlllv "* „

• *

**6

THE COXTBAST

cannot, when we look into'a native's mind, wondeJs
that he should entertain sifeh notifrns/>f ill plans of
benevolence and we cannot expect that he will ap-.
predate in another, ^quality which he, is 4(hsfcious
he does not possess hioself, and which, from expe-
- rience and observation, he knows does not exist
among those with whom he associates. It is therefore,
from his knowledge of human nature, and agreeable
to what he supposes the plain dictates of common

* sense, that he comes to fee con$tosi*n, %st no such
quality can any where exist. Although he cannot
himself now see*in what way missionaries them-
selves ( or their friends are to be benefited, by their
thankless and laborious efforts for the good of the
peojflfc of India, still, reasoning from the only pre-
mises of Which he is in possession, he can have no
doubt that pecuniary benefit or worldly aggrandize*

* ment.is the moving principle. Theie are, however f
some who, affecting to -be. more sagacious, asfcwell as
more charitaWe, brieve ftie missionary ^ork is an
aifair of p$erit of penance, perhaps of in&ulgenee,
by which those, who devote their lives m% foreign
land, and /expend large* sums of motley in the dSfc-
tribution of books, in the support oCschbols, and in
various other benevolent and eh^rifejjle efforts, pur-

* chase to themselves a large* stock erf punya^(right-
.eoustxess). Persons of this ctpss-eannpt, of course,

$fcnt congratulate -themselves^as die promoters 4rf oftr
spiritual good, aad perhaps .claim some share in.

* CONTINUED. 41|

^Wr merit, when they coasent to become the objects
of *»ur righteousness-making system by receiving
oar books, tolerating our schools, and jjtting. by us
wbitfhifr relate the story of Jews and the Cross.

It is scarcely too much to say, that Babajee's
whote soul seemed bound up in the welfare of his
people. He#rould weep over their perversity, en-
treat them wjth the affectiop of a brother, pour out
his soul to God for their salvation, and beseech the
Lord to pre^rve^the juissiq^tries who are laboring
for their good, and to increase their number. In his
private conversations with the people, which were
many, and'in his. daily instructions at our religious
services, he always pressed the truth on their atten-
tion, with a tenderness and force which was flftuly
admirable. * '

4. The facility with which he renounced any
custom or prguflice> or any usage qfcasle+.As soon. '
as he discovered it to be contrary to the Christian
religion, is«o less indicative of a radical change.
Fof no ape who knows tfe Hindoos will allow that
this is Jl natural trait To forego any of the sifly
rites pf caste, to eat from^tho hands of a person of
another order, to admit an innovation, or even to
adopt an improvement, is as repugnant in a heathen
land, as the opposite is in a Christian land. I can-
not better illustrate this par u of the subject, than by
a reference to What Jiasj actually fallen, under ray
observation in the^aseofBrahmung who have been

• «
# «

* ■ '** V ♦

employed by us at ^.timedrfuggur, as pandits. 1 One '
objected to' a man of low caste ^coming into- the ** *
room whereihe was, and would not allow: the ta»4e }
to be laid, or a pieccpi meaj tobe brftujjhtinto his -
presenc*. Another qsjss polluted- bg .passing' ovSr a
^ mat on which a Mhar had stepped. The same person

# tt«ked leave of absence for three days, "to purify -bjjm.

self from a pollution with which he.had become in-
fecKd, by a Mhar passing through a^room where be
• Y^t.sitting, the room .^png matted*- flnea b&was
: sailed before «. council of Brahmuns, ttnd rh jjjf
with taljjng from my rjand, and eating, a banana.
- The. same men petitioned t«,haye' a low wall built
, across «r mud chapef, at which they were required
to. attend Divine ^woishin while in our service, that
they .might be the more effectually secured from the
people of low caste, who were also present. These J
prejudices, born with them, and engrafted in their
ss deserve motj^ indnl-
Thejidtninll Christian j*
ike before he becomes a
>fj these relics of pagan-
i, it is only what might
be looked for.' In thjs, however, Babajee formed an
exception. He would eat with foreigners, and had
"' almost continually some one of low caste about bis
- -^ house. More than once he£sjle .several of the te-
st gjpnatee of4hekoV-£»iisajpej»ons-of the lowest taste,
to dinner, and partook' with 'them himself. He

OF THB BBAHHT7NS. 49

seemed to hare wholly freed his mind from the no-
tions of lucky and unlucky days, omens, hobgoblins,
and the like ; a deliverance of vast magnitude for a
Hindoo. But nothing showed more decidedly the
complete conquest which he had gained over the
superstitions and customs of the country, than that
vrhich appeared in reference to touching the dead,
especially the corpse of a low caste person. In two
instances he prepared the body for burial, and as*
sisted in carrying the corpse from the house. The
Cheerful and unhesitating manner in which he did a
duty, which v no Brahmun in the country would do
for the price of his caste, or perhaps the price of his
life, excited the wonder of Dajaba, who had been a
professor of Christianity more than five years, with-
out being able to bring his mind to so willing a per-
formance of a duty of (his kind.

5. Speaking the truth. In scarcely any way did
Babajee evidence more clearly a radical change of
heart, than in his uniform adherence to the truth.

This, in a -Christian country, would not, I am
aware, be allowed as any decisive evidence; for
there the liar is stigmatized by an enlightened pub-
lic opinion. But nothing of this exists in a heathen
land. It was never more true of the Cretans, than
it is of the Hindoos, " that they are always," and all
" liars." The only exception to be made in favor, or
rather against the Brahmuns, is, that they practise
the abominable vice with a little more grace and

60 OBOM PALSEHOOD

subtlety. Both in precept and practice, they allow •
that a man may lie, if he can be more benefited by
a falsehood than by the truth. The people are also
taught, from their sacred books, that, if the interest
of a Brahman, or the welfare of a cow, require it,
they ought to lie, and that such a lie is no sin. Prom
the Maharaja, (the great king,) down through every
grade of his subjects; every man speaks the truth or
Utters falsehood, just as he fancies will best comport
with his own interest. The native prince makes
treaties, to break them ; pledges his faith, to violate
it the moment it suits his interest or convenience.
This same disregard to all engagements and bar*
gains, runs down through all ranks of natives. You
can expect a native to fulfil an engagement, only
as far as he is impelled by Interest or fear of
authority.

An example or two will suffice to show how the
most learned and respectable among the priesthood
can lie. A Brahmun, by the name of Ragoba, has
been employed by us as a Mahratha pundit, since
the establishment of the mission, nearly two years
ago. He is a mild, gentlemanly roan, regards him*
self very wise and holy, and shows, to say the^least,
more pride to be thought a man of truth and integ*
rity, than any Brahmun with whom I have been ac-
quainted* As an indispensable condition of service,
he is required to attend at our preaching-place on
the Sabbath^ and the prayer-meeting on the first

OF m bjuhmu* s. 51

Monday of the month. Being, of coarse, averse to
this, he invented every excuse to avoid it After
some time, his excuses became more frequent ; and
I (for he was then in my service) had too much
-Mason to believe he was deceiving me by gross
-falsehood. At one time, he mistook the hour, or his
family were sick ; at another time, a lather or bro-
ther from a distance had called on him, and he
could not negiect the tenderest offices of friendship;
again, he had heard of die death of a relative at
another village, and was unclean, and <5ould not m
consequence appear in public. So improbable did
his excuses become, that I finally told him, that I
should no longer regard them. After a few Sabbaths,
he was absent again. I had but just returned from
the morning service, when he came to me with a tale
of wb, which softened all my severity. The image
of grief sat on his countenance, and his whole de-
meanor made me repent of my rigor. He was tacitly
•excused before he spoke. My conscience reproved
me, that the poor man should think it necessary to
obtain my approbation, to enjoy the melancholy
pleasure of spending the few hours which were af-
forded, over all that remained of his only and beloved
son. " Yes," said he, " my only son is dead : he died
this very morning. I hope you will excuse my ab-
sence, and allow me to pay the last mark of respect
to his remains this evening. The manner in which
bespoke, indeed his whole deportment, confirmed the

M mil. SUKOlfBSTT

truth of bis words. His grief, thought I, is not that
superficial, half-felt grief, which sometimes appears
in the countenance of an indifferent father only, on
the days of the death and burial of his child. But
it is rather that deep, solemn, and almost heart-
rending grief, which a tender mother feels when the
darling of her bosom is snatched away by death. I
sought without delay to make the best amends I
could, for the wound which I had, unintentionally,
inflicted. I opened my Mahratha Testament, and
poured into his wounded spirit the balm which
flows from that blessed fountain. He appeared more
calm, and acknowledged the superior excellency
of the Christian Scriptures in the hour of distress.
Thankful for the comfort which I had administered,
he went away. * After the days of mourning and pu-
rification had passed, he returned to his employment.
Though he had by this time resolved the whole into
ruthful /ate, and bowed to the shrine of his hard
destiny, he was evidently still a man of grief. I ac-
cordingly referred to the subjeet with all due deli-
cacy, and endeavored to improve the occasion to his
spiritual benefit. Judge then of my surprise, when
I tell you, that I have the consolation of knowing
that the child is still living : indeed, he was never
dead!

It will not be irrelevant to mention, under this
head, the unfairness and prevarication which a Brah-
mun will use in argument. I have seldom conversed

IN AMTOUOT* Of

in good earnest with one of this class, that is, con-
versed with him in such a manner as to press upon
him the peculiarities of the Christian religion, so that
he could not hot see that it was done at the expense
of bis own favorite scheme, when he would not, to
gain his end, prevaricate, turn, twist, contradict him*
self, deny that he ever said what but a moment be-
fore he uttered, resort to gross falsehoods, and use
any means which best suited his present exigency*
To gain their point with an opponent, or to answer
their selfish ends with the people, they will assert, aa
written in their shastras, any thing they please ; and
what they affirm to be divine truth to day, they
will, on the same principle, deny to-morrow. Ba-
bajee, by his uniform practice of unhesitatingly and
unequivocally speaking the truth, differed from what
he once was, in the same degree that he did from
the men of his tribe. For he was, like them, a child
of the same father. (John viii. 44.) As closely con-
nected with the preceding, I may next mention,

6. His simplicity of character, as a grace which
eminently adorned our Hindoo Christian, but one,
too, for which he was in nowise indebted to Hiu-
dooisnL The term will but ill apply to any class of
people which I have met in India. They are, as a
people, double-tongued, double-minded, subtle, and
deceitful, every man according to his ability. To
speak of a simple-hearted, artless Brahmun, would
be like speaking of a sober drunkard, or a pious

64 THE CXAFTINESS

infidel. Never does the subtlety of the Brahimm
appear more pre-eminently hateful, than in the
ten thousand artful manoeuvres which he is con*
stantly practising, to keep the eyes of the people
closed from the light, and to induce them to keep up
the observance of those silly rites which secure his
own honor, and gam him a livelihood. The ex-
ample given above, very strikingly illustrates this
part of the subject too. But a few others will be
here tolerated. To defeat our efforts for female
education, the Brahmuns intimated to the parents of
the girls, who were at first drawn into school by the
force of presents, that our object in organizing girls 1
schools, was, to collect together as many as we
could, then take them off to our own country, or sell
them as slaves. A teacher who had been dismissed
for illicit intercourse with one of the older girls, in
order to prevent any other person from succeeding
in the school, (which already was but just tolerated
by the people) propagated the same story, accompa-
nied with other fabrications, which quite destroyed
the school. Nothing is too absurd for the credulity
of the people. They were all frightened, and kept
their children at home.

To prevent the success of any plan of ours ; to
get service for themselves, or to get a recommenda-
tion to a gentleman in the service of government,
they are proverbially clever in all the expedients of
craft, flattery, significant insinuations, frauds, and

OF THE BBAHHU2TSU 65

falsehoods. If they wish to prevent some poor man
from receiving a book, or hearing our doctrine, they
have only to say, " some calamity will fall on you ;*
and holding in their own hands all the dark myste-
ries of signs, omens, and inauspicious days on the
one hand, and relying on the credulity of the people
on the other, they find it no difficult task to sway
the minds of a superstitious and ignorant populace
as they please. They gravely open the Pttuckang,
(Hindoo calendar,) and daslare that a work must be
undertaken on such a day, or that the consequence
of such and such an undertaking will be prosperous
or disastrous ; or that a marriage must be imme-
diately celebrated or delayed, according to their
fancy, or more generally, according as it best suits
their own interest. In this way they keep up an in*
fluence over the minds of the people, not only ridi-
culously absurd, but very advantageous to them*
selves, and ruinous to the people, If, again, they
wish to incur our favor, they will call on us, speak
in the most flattering terms of our labors, (though
we know them, at the same time, to be exceedingly
bitter against us,) eulogize Christianity, profess their
belief in it, and beg that we will put them in a way
to be instructed in its doctrines. All this is done
with perfect grace, and with all the appearance of
sincerity. The instances here alluded to have fallen
under my own observation, and will be given in do*
tail elsewhere.*

* See Chap. X. Part IL

50 babajsb's honbstt. -

7. Honesty in secular affairs* Most of the se-
cular business of the mission, together with the
daily distribution at the poor-house, was in Bahajee's
hands. He never wanted opportunity, if he had
been disposed, to practise on us acts of dishonesty
almost every day. The usages of the country, too,
would have justified him in such a manner as, in
many cases, to spare his own character in the eyes
of the people, and to prevent its coming to our ears.
As this is known to be a most vulnerable point in the
character of a heathen convert, the strictest vigi-
lance was observed towards him, lest the confidence,
which the weak state of our mission at the time
obliged us to repose in him, should be abused, or a
temptation thereby placed before him, to ensnare his
soul into the easy-besetting sin of the heathen. But
I am most happy to say, that I never detected him
m attempting to defraud me of a single pice, nor had
any reason to think he ever did it No one that
ever heard the name Hindoo, will pretend to call this
a national trait, or the result of Hindooism. Cheat-
ing, defrauding, and embezzling, are limited in this
country, only by the ability of the native, and the
means which he has to practise them. The usages
of the country allow this to a certain extent; but a
native is not likely to stop short at the limits of sanc-
tioned dishonesty, if he have the power and oppor-
tunity of going further. This only forms a pretext
to go any length he chooses. For example, if a
man in your service be intrusted with a sum of

HINDOO MSH02IESTT. 57

money, great or small, for the purchase of articles,
his first object is, to pocket a part of it, in the ex-
change of silver for copper; then he overcharges
for the articles; and lastly, if possible, cheats in
weight or measure. The Puntogee (school teacher)
brings a false account of his scholars, and demands
his pay accordingly. The laborer, the cooly, (por-
ter,) the merchant, or mechanic, if he sees you are
impelled by necessity or distress to call in his aid,
has no bowels of compassion . I am disposed to think
that the natives do practise more dishonesty on
foreigners than they do on their own people. They
have an idea that Europeans, being their conquer-
ors, must be rich, and can well afford what their
wants demand, or what their avarice craves. And
as the former are foreigners, and have but an imper-
fect knowledge of their language and customs, they
do not want opportunitiesto indulge their propensity.
The native servant undoubtedly finds it much less
difficult to justify himself for defrauding a European
master, than he would a Hindoo or Mussulman.

The circumstances of Babajee were such, that
he might often have improved them to his advantage!
In several instances he refused bribes which were
offered him (a practice very common where a native
has the superintendence of any business) if he would
induce me to give such an amount for a certain
piece of work, or such a sum for a certain article.
According to the customs of tfce country, every over*

56 CVST0K OF SBIVAN T8»

seer of business, in which workmen axe employed,
demands and receives a small share of the daily
wages of each person. He also gets a per centag* on
every rupee expended in materials for the work,
besides divers little or great immunities, as the
rupees pass through his hands. Babajee, of his ova
acoord, set his face at once against all these customs.
He regarded them as fraudulent in themselves! and
contrary to the usages of the Christian religion.

CHAPTER III.

Htf tenderness of eonseienoe— docile temper— hnmflity.— A paper on
•elf-examination — bis dependence on God-— conquest over co vet-
oneness expressed in a letter toother converts— loves the BibW—
feels for his countrymen.— Letter to Rev. Mr. Anderson.

Whilb the foregoing particulars undoubtedly
deserve in the present case all the prominence which
has been given to them as marks of a radical change
of heart, I should be doing unpardonable injustice
to his piety, were I to pass over the more direct, and
for the time being, the more satisfactory evidences.
It is true the tree must finally stand or fall according
as it brings forth good or bad fruit. But as there
can be no well-grounded hope that a- tree, however
sightly it may for a tifne appear to the eye, should

TBNDJZB CONSCIENCE 60

continue to flourish and bear fruit, unless ii be well
rooted in a good soil, and refreshed by the genial
dews and rains of heaven, it becomes, fay no means,
the least interesting part of our task, to seek to enter
into the mote secret recesses of his heart, and there
inquire from whence originated the above-mentioned
trails of Christian character, which, as we have seen,
so much distinguished him from his heathen coun-
trymen. -

He possessed & tender conscience* If,fromsk>th-
fulness* or inadvertence, or from die force of former
habit he neglected his daily devotions, or did, or said
any thing which might give an unfavorable impres-
sion of the religion which he professed ; or, if in his
more public instructions he unwittingly advanced a
sentiment, which is not in accordance with Scripture
doctrine, on being reminded of his error, he always
manifested the deepest concern lest he had given the
enemy occasion to blaspheme, or misguided some
benighted soul who might otherwise have been led
to seek after the truth. The following striking in-
stance is too characteristic to be omitted. Some
months after his conversion h$ was called as a wit-
ness' before a court of justice. The magistrate was
the only European present, and not regarding, if he
knew* that Babajee was a Christian, he administer-
ed the oath to him as he did to the other native wit-
nesses, according to his usage) on the Koran.
Babajee immediately saw hisrmistake, but not till it

00 SWEABS Oil THE SOMAN.

was too late to remonstrate, and to declare himself a
Christian, and no believer in the Koran. He returned
home filled with remorse that he had, m the presence
of many natives, 'so far compromised his faith m
Christianity, as to lay his hand on the sacred book
of the Mussulmans. As the Koran is substituted for
the Bible by the government in administering oatfis
to natives, because they dp not believe in the latter,
he, with much propriety, felt that he had acknow-
ledged the same unbelief in not insisting on being
sworn on the sacred book of the Christians. He
wept bitterly, and manifested for several days the
deepest contrition; often did he acknowledge Ms
guilt, and humble himself at the feet of sovereign
mercy, and there seek for that pardon which alone
could tranquillize his troubled spirit

He had a docile, child-like temper. This was
far removed from the silly credulity which empha-
tically makes the Hindoo the dupe of any one who
will say a marvelous thing. But once, after a tho-
rough examination, having renounced his ancient
system of belief, with all its farrago of inconsisten-
cies he implicitly took the Bible as his counsel and
his guide. Like an amiable child, who loves and
reveres his father, and knows that his kind parent,
though be may sometimes cross his favorite plans,
only seeks his ultimate good, so Babajee adopted
the Missionaries with whom he was connected as his
parents, and ever yielded to them the most filial love

HIS TUUUlt* TBHfUU 61

and obedience. When, as sometimes happened, hit
opinion of the. best nxrie el accomplishing a thing
differed from that of the Missionary with whom bo
was associated, he would express his opinion with
respect, but never with assuming confidence.
Whether his opinions were adopted or not, he would
not on the ooe^hand assume an undue importance,
or on the other manifest tardiness or disaffection m
joining heart and hand in the accomplishment of the
desired object, in any way consistent with Christian
policy. His heart was much in the duty of preach-
ing the gospel from village to village. He never ap-
peared so happy as when traveling from place to
place, and declaring to new multitudes of heathen,
evasy day, the before unheard of riches of Jesus
Christ As he was at that time my only associate
in the mission, we could not both conveniently be
absent from Nuggur at the same time. Nor could
Babajee travel alone. The Brahmuns would not
deign to be taught by ongttf their own number whom
they regarded as an outcast, unless they saw htm
under the protection of some one to whom nature
had given a skin of the same color with their
rulers. Considered as a servant of such a one, they
are not disparaged by hearing him. Such is the
case too, in a greater or less degree, with the common
people,, who are, in these matters, much influenced
by their priests. Though extremely desirable that he

should accompany the Missionary on these tours,

09 BMUJKB's DBEAJC,

■till it was not always expedient In this, as in mat*
ten of less moment, be would submit with cheerful
and filial obedience, and never allow his disappoint-
ment to relax his labors at home.

On one occasion, when lie was about to be left
behind, the determination was changed from the
following peculiar circumstance. He had the day
previous consented, that, in existing circumstances,
it were better for him to remain in Nuggur. On
the following night he dreamed, or thought he saw,
a grave personage standing before him, habited in a
European garb, and saying, " You must go."
Whether asleep or awake he could not tell ; but the
voice, or the supposed voice, impressed him solemn-
ly, till, falling asleep, as he supposed, the same was
repeated. On relating, in the morning, what had
occurred, he said, he was in doubt whether the
words, you must go, meant (if they were to be con-
sidered as meaning any thing) that the day of his
final departure was at hand, or that he most go and
preach the gospel to those who were near and who
were afar off* As he seemed inclined to believe that
it might be an intimation of the latter, I thought it
wise to waive the consideration for his remaining at
' home, and suffer him to go with me, not knowing
but the Lord bad a particular work for him to do.
Nothing, however, occurred s on this tour, or imme-
diately afterwards, to remove the doubt which still
remains in my mind, whether this were a dream or

his humility* 68

* vision, or divine intimation, or a scheme of his to
induce me to take him on the tour. I have no goo*
reason to suppose the latter was the ease*

Humility, that matchless grace, without which
the pure and undefiled religion of the meek And
lowly Jesus will not deign to dwell in the heart of
man, beautifully adorned the walk of oar Hindoo
brother. His voluntary and entire renunciation of
caste, which, in its humiliating consequences, dash*
ed to the ground the boasted fabric of Brahminicol
infallibility, and left the demigod* but a poor, sinful,
self-destroyed man, afidrds of itself a pretty satisfac-
tory proof that he possessed this amiable grace ; for,
by this one act, he at once and for ever forfeited
every thing which in this life is dear to man — h&
home, his family, his countrymen, the priesthood m
which he had gloried, were now to him worse than
annihilated ; for, they not only remained to him as
monuments of his former folly, but they afford-
ed the Brabmuns ample occasions for abusing
and despising him. Not even the common hospi-
tality of a father or a brother, or the ordinary com-
passion which is shown to the meanest beast, could
he now elaftm. But it is not to the patience, the
humility, and cheerfulness, with which he supported

* The Brahmuns regard themselves not only as the peculiar
favorites of Heaven, but, in consequence of the honorable descent
from ike mouJtk of the Creator, as a superior order of beings. They
believe themselves as much superior to other men, as God is •«£*•
\ rior to the Brahmuns j that is, they hold a station middle way be-
tween Go4 and man.

•4 BOM AKD TEWTATION.

himself when thus circumstanced, to which I now
refer. It ie rather la that distrust of t*£t, that feeling
of unworthioeas, that sensitive concern lest ho
should do or say something prejudicial to the cause
of Christ, or dishonoring to God, which satisfied the
■and thai Bnbajee'* hitaoitity was not the humility
of the hypocrite.

He wholly disclaimed all hope of righteousness
through the merit of works, and trusted only in the
meritorious righteousness of Jesus. Justification by
frith was a subject on which he dwelt much in bis
instructions to the people. He dwelt much, too, in
his private conversation, on the decettftiliiess and
exceeding depravity of bis heart, and often expressed
his fears thai he might be left to fell into grass sin.
The most prominent thing in bis addresses at the
throne of grace, was confession of sin. He seldom
spoke of bis former course of life, or of his present
innate corruption, without tears. Whether ho was
beset by Satan with any peculiar temptations which
do not fell to the common lot of the godly, I am no*
able to say ; but true it was, that he very frequently
spoke of the devices, the intimations, the sugges-
tions of an evil spirit, in such vivid term** as always
to give me the impression that he had grappled with
him in all but a visible form. It will not, therefore,
appear wonderful that he was often subject to turns
of deep despondency and doubt respecting his own
salvation. Often would he read and converse on

HIS MEDITATIONS. 66

JLnke 13 : 24-29, saying, after all, I may be a cast-
away. It will net be amiss -here to introduce a
translation of another of his papers. It is entitled,
41 Self-examination and Meditations, by Babajee^

a converted Brahman.
" O ! my soul, say to what thou inclines! ! If thou
inclinest to the things of this world, consider then
what thou wilt he when thou leavest the world, and
say to what thou inclinest! For it is written hi
the word of God, " the carnal man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him, neither can he know them, for they are spi-
ritually discerned." Blessed Triune God, in the
name of Jesus Christ, grant me the Holy Spirit, and
make me happy, both in this world and the world
to come. But if I only desire worldly happiness in
the name of Christ, then I am not a true believer in
him. O ! my soul, look to Jesus ! They platted a
crown of thorns, and put it upon his head ; and put
in his hand a reed, bowed their knees before him,
and in derision said, Hail, king of the Jews ! then
spit upon him, and taking the reed, smote him on
the head. And when they had mocked him, then
they took from him the scarlet robe, and put his
own garments on him, and led him away to be cm*
eified. If he suffered so much in this world, I must
expect to suffer. O, my soul ! this world's happi-
ness is nothing — this world's suffering is nothing.

" After a short time it will come to an end ; but

6 #

66 numa.

that happiness or misery which is to come, is eter-
nal If thou seekest after the ' happiness of tips
world, thou wilt not attain the happiness to come ;
for we most be dead with Christ If, therefore, we
desire only carnal happiness, and ask this in the
name of Christ, we are of this world, carnal. There-
fore, O, my soul ! cast off all desire for worldly plea-
sure, seize on the hope of eternal happiness, and in
the name of the Savionr, pray to God, and thou
shah receive. Ask for such things as these ; wis-
dom, peace of mind, compassion, forgiveness, hatred
of sin, knowledge, love to God, love for the worship
of God, faith in Jesus Christ, true repentance for
sin, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Ask to
dwell with God, and to enjoy his love for ever. For
each things as these will I pray. Almighty, sover
reign God, I have sinned ; I am helpless, and de-
serve to be punished. I have no righteousness ; I
cannot walk in the right way. From the time I
have tried to walk in the right way, till the present
time, I have continually stumbled. Saviour of the
world, may the Holy Spirit dwell in my heart, keep
me from falling, and deliver me from evil. O, God !
I put myself into thy hands. When Jesus was on
earth, he delivered the afflicted from temporal pain,
and opened the eyes of the blind. From this I am
taught that all good, temporal and spiritual, must
come from him. In his name, and for his glory, I
will daily ask that God will make me happy in this

NSTKVSt OF fElF. 67

world, and in tbe world to come. All the happiness
which we enjoy, must, indeed, come through Jesus
Christ God is a sovereign, and knoweth all things.
Therefore, what is most fit for us, that he will sure*
ly give. Hence, we ought to love him with oar
wbole mind and heart Merciful God! hear my
prayer ; I am sinful, polluted, and fidlen ; clean me
by the blood of Jesus Christ. I was born in sin, my
works are all sinful, I am sin. Love me, O Gqd !
deliver me from destruction— give me a pure heart,
an* let not evil thoughts arise.- Let not sin predomi-
nate in my heart Deliver me from pride, covet-
ousness, the displeasure of the good, and the desire
of worldly good. But may all my hopes be in the.
happiness of the world to come : this can only be
through help in Jesus Christ For I have no power
of my own by which I should walk in the right
way. I am, by nature, only deserving of pain ; bnt
then, merciful God I make me worthy of happiness
and of thy love. O ! thou ocean of mercy, I am a
sinful man. I cannot worship thee aright; keep
me and guide me, according to the truth."

This distrust of self, naturally begat a correspond-
ing dependence on God. He seemed to feel, in a
remarkable degree, that every good and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the father
of lights. He did not here satisfy himself with the
general expression, that it is in God that we live,
move, and have our being ; but he regarded, in an

68 HIS GEATrrtTDE.

uncommon degree, his daily food, raiment, protec-
tion, happiness, the use of his senses, the continua-
tion of health, the opportunities which the present
day afforded him of being useful to his countrymen,
- as special blessings from the hand of God. He would
often specify particulars like these in his prayers,
when his heart would glow with gratitude to the
great Giver, and cast itself in sweet reliance on Him
who giveth and upbraideth not. He had a happy
talent, both in his prayers and instructions, of speci-
fying, and drawing useful lessons from what, in com*
mon language, are called little things. The birds of
{he air, the beasts of the field, the starting vegetation,
the opening flower, the maturing of grain and fruits,
the blessing of water, of air, of rain to fructify the
earth, of day and night, and of the vicissitudes of the
seasons, all furnished him with ample illustrations
of the unbounded goodness and mercy of God to-
wards his creatures. When addressing the Brah*
mans, he would frequently point to a tree, a flower,
or any sensible object which might be before him,
and inquire, Is that the workmanship of Shiva or
Vishnoo ? Can your thirty-three millions of gods,
produce an object like that ; or, if made to their
hands, can they preserve it for a moment ? Why
then will you pass by Him who created, preserves,
and pervades all things, and worship the lowest
works of his hands ? If addressing the poor, the
halt, the blind and maimed of the asylum, he would

HtXSOOS' AVAUCS. 69

frequently point to a sparrow or an insect, and say,
" Behold how insignificant a thing is the peculiar
care of God ! And will he not provide for yon, if
you love and serve him ? Seek ye not what ye shall
eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be of doubtful
mind; for all these things do the Heathen seek
srfter."

Babajee too well undssstood the character of his
countrymen, not to perceive that covetousness is the
rock on which they are likely to make shipwreck of
faith. He seemed to watch over his own heart, and
■smother the rising desires of avarice with great vigi-
lahce. He never expressed the least dissatisfaction
respecting his monthly allowance; but gratefully
received it, as a means which God afforded htm,
through the benevolence of foreigners, to do good to
bis deluded people. He often declared, (what every
missionary too well knows to be true,) that there is
no stronger temptation to a Hindoo to change his
religion, than the hope of worldly gain. And, it is
lamentable to say, that the greater part of those, con-
•cerning whom we hoped that better motives induced
them to embrace Christianity, exhibit in this respect
a grievous deficiency. Instead of gratitude to God,
and gratitude to die missionaries, who have, for their
benefit, forsaken all that was dear in country and
home, voluntarily taken up their residence in an in-
salubrious climate, and are fast wearing out their
life for their good, they not only expect a support,

70 ClUEACTim OF COKVKEm

bat not unfrequently manifest the most trying
tisfaction that they are not better supported. They
often feel as if they have conferred a great favor on
the missionary, by renouncing their own religion,
and by assisting him in his missionary labon among 1
themselves ; and that he ought not to be slow in ac-
knowledging their services, by a good reward. Here
it should be remarked, that the state of things as yet,
in this part of India, is such as almost to compel the
missionary to keep his converts in his service. This
strengthens the impression, that converts are to re-
ceive a support, and not unfrequently leads to disap-
pointment, that the allowance is not more, and the
labors less.* It is pleasing to be able to make Babajee
an exception. He not only sought to keep himself
unspotted from the world, but, as the following letter,
written by him soon after he came to Nuggur, shows,
he was not slow to sound the alarm to others. This
letter was addressed' to Dajaba and Moraba, mem*
bers of our mission-church at Bombay. The occar
sion, which called forth the letter at that time, and
which explains its character, was this : Appa, a con-
vert in connection with the Scottish mission, and an
acquaintance of Babajee, had apostatized. His
covetousness proved his ruin. On hearing of this,
Babajee lost no time to improve the occasion for the
benefit of his brethren at Bombay. After the fore-
going remarks on the Hindoo character, no one will

* 8pe Chap. XL Fart H.

LETTER TO MORABA. 71

inquire, why so much is said in the letter of love to
ike world, and love for one another. The apostolic
dress in whieh the letter appears, shows the source
from which he derived his style of letter-writing, as
well as iris ideas of identifying Christians of the pre-
sent day with those of the apostolic age. The " sis-
ters in Bombay," here spoken of, were women who
have received baptism, and were members of the
church. What can sound more strange in a Hindoo
ear, than to hear a Brahmun exhorting his friends
affectionately to instruct women.*

LETTER.

« To Moraba and Dajaba, holy and beloved, and
called by the gospel to be separate from the world,
I, ^ servant of Jesus Christ, send greeting, and write
a letter of exhortation. The supreme God has, as
we hope, through the shedding of the blood of Jesus
Christ, sanctified us and separated us from this
wicked world. In this, how great appears the love
of God towards us ; and how ought all, on whom
God has bestowed such unsurpassed mercy, to love
our Father and God with our whole soul, mind, and
strength ! This commandment he has given to all
his servants, ( Love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, strength and souL' .Hence we ought each
one to ask himself, O, my £Qul ! lovest thou the Lord,
thy most gracious benefactor, with all that thou

• Bet Chap. XII. Part II.

73 LOVB TO GOD.

hast 7 If thus we examine ourselves, the soul vffl
give testimony concerning itself. And, according to
this testimony we ought to act That is, if the soul
bear witness concerning itsetf, viz. ' I do not love
the Lord with all my powers of body and mind, 1
then we must, in the name of God the Son, suppli-
cate God the Father for the wisdom and direction of
God the Holy Spirit But if the soul witness con*
cerning itself ' 1 do, through faith in the blood of
Jesus Christ, love God with my whole heart and
life,' then we ought on this account to thank, praise,
worship, and glorify God. ' Whoever thinketh he
standeth, let him take heed lest he fail.'

" Beloved brethren, what think you concerning
yourselves! Do you love God with all you have 1
If you reply, yes, then take heed to yourselves.
Brethren, if you love the world, you cannot love
God. For no one can love the world, and at the same
time love God. Therefore, I desire that you do not
continue in love with the things of the world. For
whoever sets his affections on the world, shall assu-
redly fall into eternal condemnation. This ought to be
clearly understood. You have before you, brethren,
the example of Appa. He regarded himself a true
Christian. Having placed upon the things of the
world, that love which he should place only upon
God, he has fallen into sin. He has set at nought
the authority of God, despised his Son, and done
despite to his Holy Spirit How seemeth it to you,

LOVB TO GOD. 78

brethren is God pleased with those who love the
world f This cannot be. If any man thinks to be-
come a Christian while his affections are set on
worldly good, his heart is full of gross darkness.
Now Appa became a Christian, but be was not a
time Christian* His mind became darkened through
a love of the world. That your minds may not be
thus darkened, is my desire and prayer to God.
Brothers, Dajaba and Moraba, how does it appear
to you ? Did Appa ever love Ood ? No one will be-
lieve that he How loves Ood. Therefore, let us take
heed to ourselves, that we stand fast in the faith.
See to this. I love you, therefore I desire that you
may love God fervently, and stand firm in the faith.
For this reason I exhort you. God has given this
commandment, that as we love ourselves so ought
we to love one another. Loving myself, again and
again, I pray to God in the name of Jesus Christ,
that I may at the last day stand firm in the faith be-
fore the judge of the world. In my prayers I ask
for those things which will be needful in the next
world. For that which is altogether of a worldly
nature I ask not. For I know this, that whosoever
loves the world, is of the world, and under the power
of Satan, a willing servant of the devil. He knows not
that the ' goodness of God leadeth to repentance.' The
goodness, mercy, forbearance, and authority of God;
he sets at naught. Knowing this, I desire to cast off

74 IOTS TO OKI ANOTHEl.

all bope of the world, and endeavor to seek and
pray for that which is spiritual.

* As I love myself, and ask God that he would
give me spiritual things, so 1 love you, and therefore
pray that you may examine whether you axe in the
faith. Try yourselves, and know what you are. - If
by any means you forbear to examine your breasts,
you ought to fear you are of the world, and not of
God. I most earnestly desire that you may not be
worldly?minded, but that you may, through the
power of the Holy Spirit, eradicate from your hearta
every thing carnal, and cast it from you. Cast away
fear and unbelief, and adultery, and sorcery, and
idolatry, and lying, and theft, and every abominable
practice ; and flee from the abominations of the hea-
then ; and arm yourselves against the devices of the
devil. We who are born of the Triune God are, es-
pecially, brethren. We ought, therefore, the more
to love one another, and if we love one another we
shall exhort and instruct one another. Therefore
you must affectionately instruct our asters who are
in Bombay. Brethren, we must do all in our power
for the instruction of our people. The command of
Jesus Christ whose we are, is, that the gospel should
be preached to every creature. In obedience Uv this
command, the American Missionaries, Christian
Padres, are toiling for our good. From them we
may learn the Christian shastras. Brethren, we

BABAJBB AKD BIS BIBLB. 75

have need to study the word of God mach. Before
I became a Christian, I read the Christian Scriptural,
.and thought them easily comprehended. But now *
,1 find in them a bottomless, inexhaustible fountain
of wisdom ; and many things hard to be understood.
Let us not forget to search the Scriptures.

" Finally, brethren, farewell ; be perfect, be of
good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the
God of lore and peace shall be with you. Salute
one another with a holy kiss. The Missionaries at
Ahmednuggur salute you. The grace of our Lord
Jdsus Christ be with you."

Babcyee loved his Bible. He had, as stated be*
fere, obtained a general knowledge of the New Tes-
tament previous to his conversion* Now he studied
the sacred oracles spiritually, admiring their intrinsic
excellence, and their peculiar adaptation to the wants
of man in all ages and nations. He was particular*
ly interested in a religious service, which we held at
oar table every evening immediately after tea. It
was for prayer and mutual instruction. We first ♦
rend a chapter in the New Testament, each reading
a few verses in turn, prayed, Babajee, Dajaba, and
myself alternately, and then took up some subject
|br discussion ; or I related, as I was able, some por-
tion of the Old Testament history which has not yet
been translated. The lively interest with which he
seized every new fact ; the avidity with which he
grasped erery new idea, afforded his teacher a rich

76 BIS ENLA10IB VIIW8.

compensation for all the rebuffs and discouragements
which he was daily meeting from the opposition, the
hstlessness and indifference of the people from without.
I have said that Bahajee manifested a very great
interest for the spiritual welfare of his own people,
and only desired to live; that he might be an instru-
ment of good to them. This he regarded as his
field of labor ; still his heart, in the true spirit of
Christian benevolence, was enlarged, and he encir-
cled in its desires the whole human family, His
prayers were scarcely more frequent or more fervent
for the people of Hindostan, than they were for the
Chinese, the European, the African, or the American.
In imagination he would often 'bring in the day of
millennial glory, and behold with delight, all nations,
and tongues, and kindreds, bowing to the sceptre of
Jesus, ascribing "blessing and honor, glory and
power, unto him that sitteth on the throne, and to
the Lamb for ever and ever." He listened with pe-
culiar interest to the accounts which were given
him of the efforts which are making at the present
day, to diffuse the blessings of Christianity through-
out the world ; and heard with still greater pleasure,
what progress the light of truth has, within these
few years, made into the dark dominions of idolatry.
This light, he would say, which is now pouring in
upon the nations from every quarter, must ere long
illuminate India. The history of the recent bene-
volent movements in America for the distribution of

to m*. akdbbsoh; T7

the word of God, the propagation of the gospel both
at home and abroad, in connection. with the account
of the rise and progress of the American Republic,
greatly excited his admiration. He would say, " that

•is a laud of promise, a chosen inheritance of God."
As the following letter to the Rev. R. Anderson,
Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M., develops in some degree
the gratitude which he felt for the labors of Mission-
aries in India, and his desire to have the number

^speedily increased, I here insert it

"LETTER TO REV. R. ANDER80N.

"To the holy and beloved of God, Anderson
Sahib, resident in Boston, Babajee and Dajaba,
servants of Jesus Christ, of the church of Christ in
Ahmednuggtrr sand many salutations. We would
first of all thank you, that you, wishing the good of
the Hindoo people, have sent missionaries to this
country. These have made known to us the true
Shastras — the true Saviour, and the true way of
atonement for sin. Through them we have great
joy and happiness in Christ. We, Hindoo people,
a>e, through the favor of the Lord God, under very
great obligation to your benevolent society. But,
above all, are we indebted to Jesus Christ. We have
now begun to keep ourselves from sin, to hate sin,
and to cherish the love of God in our hearts. In us
we know there is no righteousness. The righteous-
ness of Christ only is necessary ; thus we have judg-
ed. We know there is no God besides the invisible

78 LBTTKB TO MR. ANDERSON

Jehovab. The gospel of Christ must be preached.
This is according to the command of Christ. And
we, Padre Read, and I, Babajee, according to oar
strength, have traveled from village to village, and
preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. Some confess*
the gospel to be true ; and some proud people, that is,
the priests of the people, even these, know that the
Christian shastra is true ; but, on account of their
pride, they reject the word of God, and they even
revile us. Nevertheless we believe that a work o£
the Holy Spirit of God has begun. Our evidence
is this, that some have already been led to* inquire,
to cast off sin, to throw away their idols, and to re-
ceive baptism. I here write their names ; Kashaba,
Khondoo, Beekyah ; these three are now happy in
worshiping God, and in hearing his word. These
are the names of those in Ahmednuggur who we
hope have repented and believe in Christ, and have
asked baptism. (Here follow the names of the thir-
teen individuals.) These thirteen persons have, we
think, been converted by the influence of the Holy
Spirit.

" The Hindoo people are for the most part igno-
rant. Their priests (the Brahmuns) are generally
learned, but they do not teach the ignorant people
the true way ; for they say the ignorant must not
be taught the true shastra. If they give instruction
at all, they teach a false religion, for no other pur-
pose than to fill their own bellies. They will neither

GONYZHTTRD. 70

enter into the kingdom of heaven themselves, nor
suffer those who would, to enter. We now assure
you, that, by the grace of God, the work of instruct-
ing the people here has greatly increased. ^The
field is ripe for the harvest, but the laborers are few.
Therefore, praying to God in the name of Christ, we
say, O Lord God, the world is thy field, and in this
field the laborers are few. Prepare and send forth
laborers. And of you, also we ask, for the sake of
Christ, that you will have mercy on us, and send
forth more teachers. Should learned men from
among the Hindoos become true Christians, they
may, we think, be more efficient laborers, than it is
possible for foreigners to be ; for foreigners must
^learn our language before they can instruct us. la
this respect, the native has greatly the advantage.

" Great Sulam ; may the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God the Father, and the com-
munion of the Holy Ghost be with you. Amen."

CHAPTER IV.

His desire to be free from sin.— A letter to the native cburch'in Bom-
bay.— Assurance of hope— bis growth in grace.— Letter to Mr,
Alien— to Mr. and Mrs. Graves— to Dajaba— to Mr. Graves.

The last internal evidence which I shall mention

» . , *

that this idolator had became a child of God, is the
desire which he manifested to be freed from sin.

• j

80 ns vrews of snr

He believed that genuine happiness can only origi-
nate from- holiness ; and that sin is the procuring
cause of all human evil. Here he did not satisfy
himself with generalities, so as to incline him to re-
gard sin rather as an unfortunate incident in human
nature, than as a guilty abandonment of God and
his righteous law. Perhaps, in some instances, he
too nicely sought to trace the connection between
sin and punishment in this world. Forgetting that
a good member may suffer from his connection with
a bad community, he sometimes attributed to indi-
vidual fault consequences which only belong to man
as a " degenerate plant of a strange vine." However
this might be, he regarded sin as an infinite evil,
and longed to be free from " the body of this death."
To be delivered from sin, was, in his estimation, a
passport to supreme happiness. Assurance of hope,
and perfection in holiness, he thought attainable,
and not only a consummation devoutly to be wished,
but to be continually sought with prayer and fast-
ing. In scarcely any thing did he differ more from
the heathen around him, than in his views of death.
He often spoke of it as the fruition of all the Chris-
tian's hopes, not to be dreaded, but desired. The
idolater, he would say, regards death as the greatest
possible evil ; for, in it he can see nothing but loss
and destruction. But to himself it opened the por-
tals of heaven, and showed him an exceeding and
eternal weight of glory.

ILLUSTRATED IN A LETTER. 81

The foregoing remarks will be better illustrated
by tbe following letter, written by Babajee a lew
months before his death, and addressed to the native
church at Bombay. From this it will appear that
sanctification, a conformity to the law of God, and
a transformation into the image of Christ, may be
as ardently sought by a heathen, when his heart is
once warmed by the genial flame of heaven, as by
the convert from nominal Christianity. To be in*
terested in his communications, one must bear in
mind the character which has already been given
of the people of his caste ; and reflecting what he
was by nature, the reader will be prepared to mag-
nify tbe goodness of God, when he learns, from his
own pen, what he became by grace. ~
<' Epistle to the Brethren and Sisters in Bombay.

" Babajee, called by the will of God to be a ser-
vant of Jesus Christ, to the church of God in Bombay,

and to all in every place who 6re called holy, through
the Lord Jesus Christ Mercy and peace from God
our father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you.
Amen,

" Brethren, render unto the Lord Jesus, whom
you have received, all due honor. Deceive not
yourselves and others by taking again the «old
man," which ye have crucified, and plunging again
into carnal delights and sensuality. If you still in-
dulge in pastimes, delight in exhibitions of folly, and
practise the arts of deception, it will come to pass

babajee's wetter

that when the heathen see such conduct, they will
reproach yon and us ; they will reproach our teach-
ers, and Him who is our Redeemer and yours, and
the Redeemer of the whole world — even Him who
is altogether holy. And great evil will follow. For
this reason, I entreat that your demeanor be not sen-
sual. For they who only please the senses are
carnal, and the carnal cannot please God. The
spirit of Christ is not in those carnal desires which
men, while in the body, seek to fulfil. And whoso-
ever hath not the spirit of Christ, he is not of God,
but of the devil ; and if he be not of God, he will be a
partaker of the everlasting pains of bell. Before be-
coming Christians, you indeed walked according to
the flesh. And now you profess to have cast off the
natural man, and to have become Christians. Let
me ask you, Have you done this in mind, or only
in body and in name? Beloved brethren, whoso-
ever in appearance and name only, becomes a Chris-
tian, but whose mind is not Christian, the Holy
Spirit has no abode in his heart ; he is not, therefore,
worthy of salvation : it were better that a mill-stone
were tied to his neck, and he cast into the sea.
Whoever liveth according to the flesh, is worthy of
death. Brethren, if through the Spirit ye do mor-
tify the deeds of the flesh, ye shall live ; ( for as
many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the
sons of God.' If ye are called of Christ, behold our
Saviour, and, like him, become separated from the

TO THE CHURCH IN BOMBAY. 88

world. He indulged in no vain amusemefats, of
gratifications. He was a sojourner in this workL
Direct your mind to him and reflect Was be car*
nal or spiritual? If you find that he was spiritual,
then honor him in spirit and in truth, and with
your whole strength, and tyke upon you his name.
Whosoever nameth the name of Christ, let him exa-
mine himself. For he that doth not anxiously try
himself, shall not continue to the eqd. That you
may continue to the end, and be acceptable to Christ,
is my desire. This I ask of you, that you may pre-
serve yourselves through the aid of the Holy Ghost,
be saved, and eternally happy. He that examines
his own heart, understands what the ( minding of
the things of the spirit' meaneth, and he ordereth
his conversation cautiously before the people. More*
over, brethren, as you are now Christ's you must
teach his commandments. Still, I assure you, that
your daily walk, is of more importance than mere
verbal instruction. This, in my opinion, is more
useful to bring men to believe : therefore, it is writ-
ten to you, 'be not angry, but, on deliberation)
choose what seemeth good,' and reject what is evil.
Ye are pined to the church of Christ, walk, there*
fore, according to the laws of the church and of
God, that you may not bring a stigma on the church.
For, if your conduct before the people be not good,
they will indeed suppose that all Christians are hy-

84 PBOtTD CHBESTLUCS.

pocrites, and altogether fallen. If any ond professes
Christ, and being joined to the church, does not pay
Him all due respect, he is indeed a hypocrite, and
* the son of destruction ; and, like Judas Iscariot,
maketh himself the child of hell. Whoever, there-
fore, professes Christ, apd is united with his church,
let him take heed to himself, and enter into ever-
lasting life.

" Brethren, if teaching according to the laws of
Christ, ye say, ' do not evil,' but yourselves do these
things, think ye that ye shall escape the justice of
God ? He that is of Christ does not exalt himself—
is not drunken with wine, or infatuated with money.
He humbleth himself before God. The aged and
the young, the rich and the poor, are alike to him.
He should not do an act of charity that the people
may regard him humble and benevolent. Should
they say concerning any professed follower of
Christ, ' he is called a Christian, true ; but he is
proud ;' by such a saying Christ would be reproach-
ed through a proud Christian. I pray that Christ
may not be reproached by any one who is called a
Christian, but that he may be glorified. Whoever
calls himself a Christian, but walks contrary to the
law of the Lord Jesus Christ, let him die the death.
For, as it seems to me, whoever sins against God, he
may find forgiveness through Jesus Christ. But if
any one professes himself to be a follower of the

ttATUfeS OP MO*. 86

' Lord Jesns the only Saviour of the world, and fine
against him, he undoubtedly must suffer in the fire
pf faeU for ever.*

" Beloved brethren, if any one among you Bay
* I have faith, hut not works,' what can faith profit?
Itow can such faith save hha? If a toother or sister
lie destitute of clothes, and without daily food, and
ppe among you say, ' Go in peace, be ye warmed
wa4 filled/ nevertheless he gives him not the things
necessary, what doth it profit ? 60 if there be not
vorks, faith is dead. If you believe there is hot one
<*od, in this you do well. BtU oven this the devils
' believe, end tremble. - Must we not regard faith
without works a» dead ? * Our father Abraham of-
fered up his own son Isaac on the altar. In this act
Jhe was justified. Bet was it not faith working with
/ the deed? an4 by the act his faith was shown to be
t genuioe. Thus was he accounted as righteous, and
ceiled the friend of God.

u Brethren and sisters, it is written in the true
shastras that " ye should love one another ;" that is,
net in appearance only, but iadeed, help one another.
We are Iwmd to love one another. On this account
the Christian religion is love.

- • "I insert thi* erroneous sentiment as a specimen of the liability

©f a convert from heathenism to fall into doctrinal errors. Babajee

was not ignorant of the doctrine of the unity of the Godhead. TM

reader will readily perceive the carious train of thought which led

mm to this conclusion. Overlooking for the moment the intimate

. relation of the Father and the Son, be naturally enough concluded, if

k a man rejected the only deliverer of the world there could be no fur-

I tjier remedy. He may mean, if any one finally rejects Christ, and

me sentiment will be correct.

• * 8

86 assvbaiccs- op HOPS*

PR1TS&.

"Jehovah, Saviour of the world; tbeumrt holy,
we are altogether unholy. We can • do no good
thing. At thy hand we beg, in the tiame of Jeans
Christ, whatever is needful for our salvation, for
justification through the merit of the Redeemer, and
fox happineaa in this world and the world to coma.
We entreat thee for all men, that they may he saved*
Amen.

« May the grace of the Lord Jeeue Christ, the love
of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be
with you all. Amen."

I have aaid that Babqjee thought assurance of
hope and perfection attainable. If he mistook in the
latter it arose from his contemplating too exclusively
the willingness of God to bestow the Spirit without
measure on all who ask, without due consideration,
at-the same time, that man, while in this life, is in a
state of probation, and that probation necessarily
implies a liability to fall into temptation ; and whence
this liability but from sin 1

The following fragment, which appears among
his manuscript papers, will show his views on what
he considered the real state of a true Christian, or, as
he calls him, a " divine worshiper," during bis pil-
grimage in this life :

" How those who truly worship God through Jesus
Christ, are to be regarded in this life.
"They who profess to be true Christians do not

LETTER TO MS. ALLS*. §T

prcteqd that they can, of tieraaelves, worship God
acceptably; tbey <fe not profess to be thus period}
for they bottom tin* no man of ail the humas &mn
Ijr^caa worship God acceptably oxcepl through.Jesoa
Christ If any ooerthen is a tree diseipte o£ Christ,
fee man believe that he cannot of himself perform
tfaewUJ of God aright Butthi* is on nhope, that, <m
amount of Christ, we, like dutiful children, nay &•
, accounted troe wonbjpeiB before God our Father.*
The following eoMespendeooe toe well illustrates
the grttwinfc piety of Babajee, and his ineraattag
desire of assfolnoss, to be omitted* The letter to
Mr. Graves appear* hereoaly ia fragment, as I am
unable to get the original:

BABAJEe's LETTER TO. MR. ALLEN.

* To the most excellent Allen Sahib, blessed of
Grod through Jesus Christ, Babajee, a door-keeper of
the house of God, who stands at the door humbly
beggiftg for the bread and water of life, sendethr greet*
ing. I entreat that yon will send me a letter of in-
struction and exhortation, that a poor servant of
Jesus* Christ may be confirmed m the true faith.
The chief intelligence which I have to communicate
ia, that, my love of this world is, by the exercise of
faith in Jesus Christ, continually diminishing, and
that my lore to God is increasing more and more,
and that my old man is, on account of sin, crucified
with the body of Christ. I confide myself entirely

to him. I take hold of th* hand of my heavenly
Esther. Whithersoever he leadftth, there .wilt I go:
All the right feelings which 1 have are of the Holy
Spirit I search the gospel of Jesua Ohqst, and
daily examine myself concerning what I do, and
whatl ought to do. I am distressed on account of
mo y and repent, and daily aide of Qod forgiveness for
aU my past sins. As the watchman puts on his
armor, and vigilantly perfcnqs his duty, so I put
on the armor of self-examination, and daily en-
deavarto watch over myself. I Ihtty hetteya that
I cannot be saved by my own works, but hy faith in
Jesus Christ. This is my hope. Formerly I was
an adulterer, false, deoeitful, and' an idolater. In
these things I then took delight ; but now, through
the grace of Jesus Christ, I am disgusted, yea, I hate
them. Now I love whatever I believe to be pleasing
to God, and hate what is offensive to him. I en-
deavor to avoid what is forbidden in the sacred
Scriptures, I pray and implore the assistance of
God, and search the Scriptures daily, that I may be
able to give instruction, according to the command
of Christ. I gratefully acknowledge the loving-
kindness of God, and am not unmindful of the kiwi*
ness of those by whose instrumentality I have been
converted. The instructions of Graves Sahib) that
true worshiper of God, are particularly,gratefiil to
me ; for by them the knotty doubts of the mind
are solved, and the h$a*t gradually is wad* put*

TO MX. ALLEX.

By Us meais my soul was first distressed on account
of sin ; by faith in Jesus Christ I was again mad*
^oyTul.

u Since leaving Bombay for Ahinednuggur, I hav*
instructed my wife in the word of God. Before the
'death bf Mr; Hefvey she reeled me, and scornfcrily
rejected Christ. From that time she became* pen-
itent, began to pray, and asked baptism. I hope her
heart is now renewed.

"In the latter part of June I made a short preach-
ing tour, when if visited fire or seven Tillages', and
t&M the people of Jesus Christ. I now feel that if I
am to lite long- in this world, I desire to lite only
for Christ. If I am to- go to another world, I desire
to live with him for ever there.

11 Oh my brother, I eannot love Christ as taught ;
lor by reason of sin I am weak. While an enemy
<*f God, he, thrtughinercy, that I might be saved,
assumed a vile, perishable human body, and did for
me what I was bound td do for myself. Had I died
in my sins, and perished, God would stiH be glorified
in the multitude of his creatures. 1 am indeed
bound to love God, who is love. May he, who has
done so much for my salvation, enable me to love

him.

" I am ignorant, sinful, depraved. By my own
works I eannot be saved. I east myself into the
arms of God my Father. If it be his will, he wiU

save me, If bt do not save rae, I ea&ao* be saved,

90 Lira* 70 WU JLUEH.

If be da not kqep me from evil, I must &U ia*»
evil.

" Brothers Dejaba and Moraba are witfc you*
Coafirm them in the right way. I desire that they
may well instruct the Hindoo people. I pray that
they may be new mm. To teach us who are igno-
rant, to confirm us jn the right way, and bring us to
believe on Jesus Christ, is your proper work* We
are infants, and must have the milk of the word.
We cannot bear strong meat if you give it us.
Wherefore feed us with milk, and we shall, by little
and little, be strengthened into manhood, and, be*
coming men, we may be fed with meat, Then shall
we become strong in the faith, aud be saved by
Jesus Christ. May peace and comfort from the
Triune God, Father Son, and Holy Ghost, bq with
you for ever, AmeiK

«0 God! merciful Father, I am sinful, igno-
rant, and foolish ; I have written, because my bro-
ther desired it ; but I have not been able to write ia
a proper manner. I desire that this letter may not
be useless, I ask not on my own account, but for.
the sake of Jesus Christ, that the writing of thia
letter may be of some utility."

The following extract of a letter to Mr. and Mrs.
Graves, is too characteristic to be omitted :

« To the Rev. Mr. Graves, well-wisher of our

urns to xx. eatvss.

people^ and td Madam Graves, both of the same pa-
rent ia Christ, I, Christian, Babajee, and my wife,
write. Peace and comfort from our Lord Jesus
Christ be with you. Amen.

"We are tender plants, planted through the
mercy of Jesus Christ, by your hands. That these
plants may grow, become trees, and bear much fruit,
they must be moistened at the roots, and sprinkled
with water from, %b6ve. I write unto yon, that,
from your instrumentality, we may derive assist-
ance, whereby we may increase in love and faith,
and bring forth fruit, double, treble, quadruple, and
a thousand fold.

" Yfo were organized into a Christian church
on the 4th March, 1833* Dajaba was chosen dea*
, cod, and myself elder of the church. I mention be*
low the members of the church. Farwuttee, a
Purbbeeft ; Audee, a Brahmanee ; myself, a Brah*
man ; Dojaba, a Purbhoo ; Myntbaee, a foreigner ;
Hkabayee, of the Kamatfiee caste; Eashaba, Kon-
dooba, Bheekya, and Gopal. These, with the ex*
ception of myself and wife, and Dajaba, have be*
come Christians since you left us,"

Notwithstanding the numerous extracts which
have already been given of Babajee's letters^ I hope
the following will not be deemed unworthy of pent-*
sal. It breathes, in a few lines, more. of the spirit of
the writer than any letter or communication which
I have been aWf to procure. You here see the

TO eSAEACTKB Of IUJABA*

friend, 4he brother, tbe Christian) and, I had-almost
4Mdd, the zealous apostle, animated in his work by
motto* the most noble which can warm the heart
of man ; and exhorting- hie brother in Christ to bro-
therly lore, to self-denial, diligences humility, and
fervency in tbe work of the Lord. The concise and
animated style, the simple language, as well as the
feeavenly spirit which pervade the letter, wfH afford
the reader a pleasing specimen of what Babajee- was
in his daily deportment among the crooked and
perverse generation by which he was surrounded.

Dajaba, tbe person to whom the letter is ad-
dressed, had been received into the Christian church
more than two years before. He is of the Purbhoo
caste, a man of very respectable takfets, who was
formerly a school teacher, but; subsequently to his
baptism, a superintendent of schools, and an astibt-
ant missionary in Bombay. He is a man of cold
temperament, and has never manifested any pecu*
Har interest hi missionary labors. In his deportment
and intercourse among his idolatrous countrymen;
he has, for aught we know, been regular and exem-
plary, but deficient id moral courage and zed for
the salvation of others. This may have arisen, in
part, from early persecutions which he suffered, not
only from his immediate friends, but from the peo-
ple in Bombay. He was one* beaten in thesffestS;
and shamefully abused. ^

If was thought advisable that he should, for a

UR1BR lO DAJABA. N

time, be removed to Ahmednuggur, id hope that, by
being connected witb Bahajee, and being removed
from his former circumstances, he might acquire
more fortitude and zeal, and thereby become a more
efiioteat helper. Dnriog Babajeefe life, we had high
hopes that those anticipations would be realised
Since that time, I know not that there has been any
change for the better. He is sober and regular in
bis habits, and willing to follow as he is led, but
•hows no desire to do more than his prescribed duty,
as a servant fulfils his task.

LETTER TO DAJABA.

" Babajee, a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ by the
will of God our Saviour, and of the Lord Jesus Christ
our hope, to Dajaba a beloved child o{ God through
faith; grace, mercy, and peace, humility, pardon,
joy, and comfort, be to you from God our Father,
and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

" Dajaba, my beloved brother, the letter which
you so kindly sent me by Mr. Read, was received in
good time* I cannot express the pleasure which I
jfelt in the perusal of it. By such letters my faith in
Christ will be strengthened,

" God has begotten us through the Holy Ghost,
according to his purpose, and on account of the
righteousness of Jesus Christ: therefore we are
dearer to each other than brethren. Among brothers
there is often strife, deception, mutual abuse, unfaith-

M Q0SaWl*S.

fulness, disputes about their fathers? {mprty. But
aawng as, who have beM bom of tfc* HoJjr Spirit,
there must be no deception., or strife, oncoyetou sneo s. <
We must heaome g ma*m$ * through Jesus Christ;
not, however, weh gosa w e o sas are daily seen about
us here. We most be true gosawees; that is, have j
the mastery orer our passions; We must eradicate
art cast from us aft worldly hopes* and hope only in
God, a&d lear&ourselves entirely in his hands : • then
God, oar Father, will, through Jesus Christ, account
us as innocent You observed, my brother, in yout
letter, (and it is in accordance with the Christian '
shaatras,) that "we are the body of Christ," and |
ought therefore to love obb another.

"Above all! my brother, read much, pray much, *
be humble, communicate instruction, rebuke with
soft words any thing wrong which you may discover
in our brethren or sisters ; and, by the grace of God,
peace be with you."

, . «

The following letter was addressed to Mr, Grews,
while recently in America. He has kindly famed
me with a translation of the original, and allowed
me to publish it.

♦ A gosawee is a devotee who ha* forsaken tha world, somaboiil
almost naked, bis body besmeared with ashes, lives on toe charity
of the people* and pro fes s es to be vary holy. tts pretends to instrnet
the people in a knowledge of God ; bnt realty does no more than to
ppcat the names of the gods, and mutter over soma unintelligible
jargon, which the stupid populace suppose to be muntras or incan-
tations.

I -

LBTTE* TO Mt« MAVIS, 06

babajee's LETTEft.

"Out well-wither and inspected firther, Mr.
Graves, and respected mother, Mrs. Graves, Baba-
jee, a servant of Jesus Christ, with his wife, pre-
sents a great salutation, and begs te write a letter of
respect. We have given ourselves an offering,
through Christ, into the hand of Ood the Father ;
and, through faith, by the Spirit, we remain in the
hope of being justified by the righteousness of Jesus
Christ. And we who are new-born, fere like igno-

I rant children ; but may we become mature in faith,
and stand against the wiles of the devil, the dan*
derer, to fight against him ! May God array us with
his heavenly armor ! that is, may he bind our loins
about with troth ; pot upon us the breast-plate of
righteousness, and.&u** *ur .feet to be shod with

» the proparaiioBiof the gospel of peace : and, abb?*
all, put into offr hands the shield ef feitb, where-
with we may b* abb to quench all the fiery darts of
the wicked one. May he also put upon our heads
the helmet of salvation, and put into onr hands the

* sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God !

t And may he keep us, always praying with all
prayer and supplication, at all times in the Spirit !

f And for the same purpose, that we may be awake
with all diligence, in prayer for all saints* We ask
yon both to remember us, as well as yourselves, in

96 HIS MOM OF *KABONIJW.

prayer to God. May thaw be peace aad love, wiA
frith, among all the brethren, from God the Father,
and the Lord Jesus Christ. May grace be with all
who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

Amen.

" Please pfeaent to the church the salutation of

me, a Men one."

CHAPTER V. • •

Hiodootfm debasiaf to the miaxl— Theological papers fflostratiaf
BabaWs mode of thinking.— The occasion of writing these.-*
Praois of creation.- Existence of God-eternity of God— Hindoo
notions of God.

I have referred to Babajee's conversation and
writing on theological subjects. The inquiring
reader wUl desire to be informed more particularly
what was the mode of thinking and the manner of
reasoning of a man, who had for forty years been
fed on the fooleries of Hindoo superstition. He had
drawn in, with his mother's milk, the deadly bttie of •
idolatry. All his early impressions, all his notions
of right and wrong, were formed from a false stand- .„
aid. A* forty years old he begins to reason — finds ^
that all his notions, feelings 1 , and sentiments concern* 1
ing religion and moral doty, are wrong ; he finds '
bis heart corrupt, his understanding darkened, his <

DV7LVBKCB OF HTXftOOISIf. OT

conscience stnpified, and/all the laborious and cost*
ly expedients which -he had used to remedy the evil
of which *ho was at times conscious, unavailing. All
Aat had Ween done was to be undone, and every
thing now remained to be done. 1 know it is im-
possible for one feared in a Christian land, folly to
«Btimate the 'influence which a heathen education
must exert on Elemental faculties, and the moral
feelings of the idalator. We talk, in Christendom,
smd very wisely, too,- of the infinite advantage of
early instilling into the young mind pure principles
of morality, and correct notions about religion ; and
when we contrast the character of the man th«S
taught, with that of the man whose childhood was
aperit in the hatints of tofidetity* or in the nursery of
thoughtless gayetiy, and the contempt of aH mortl
obligation^ wo see a 4 M 8 iton c0 so striking, astogiv*
tis some remote notions <tf< what must be the infln^
enoe^ olf the ^dtteiitten received by a Hindoo cMHt
Bat it mart not \t* forgotten) that the most profligate
family 4n all Christendom, are under many r*
Strain* which weimpesed by Christianity; They
ase not debased* to worship a reptile or a stone.
T&ey have many right views of the character of
God; andi of the general- obligations of man to regard
his commands. These eanhot fail to produce some
influence; though latent it may be, on the mind.
They have, at least > many good maxims, and good

customs, resulting from Christianity. These things

give the worst man in a Christian land an advan-
tage over the best in a heathen.

These remarks will enable the reader more just-
ly to appreciate the following specimens of Babajeefe
theological views. I add them, not for the merit
which they contain in themselves! but, as I have
done many other things in this memoir, to show, fox
the encouragement of the friends of this mission,
what a bigoted Hindoo may become, under the
teachings of the Holy Spirit ; and, seeing this, thai
Aey way give more liberally, and pray more fer-
vently, that God would supply the place of his de-
parted servant with a thousand as faithful and

devout.

The occasion which gave rise to the following
papers oa theological subjects, and the means which
he pooMssed of writing them, will not be deemed nib
worthy of notice. Babajee, previous to his conver-
sion, poasesaed a general and a theoretical know-
ledge of Christianity. But it was no w deeurable ibat
h* should be put on a course of study which should
x enlarge and discipline bis mind, and at the same
time improve his heart, and prepare him for a wide
field of usefulness. His attention had, from the
first, been, principally, directed to the reading of the
New Testament, and such parts of the Old Testa-
ment as had been translated. He had been encou-
raged to write letters to his friends abroad, add like-
wise to express his religious views and feelings in

AND RBSOUSCES. 99

writing on different topics. But it was thought thai
be required to be put on a more systematic course;
and, for this purpose, theological and other questions
were proposed to him by Mr. Graves, to which he
was desired to furnish answers in writing. As se-
veral of these papers were preserved, I have thought
a, translation of them worthy a place in his memoir.
It may be supposed by some that these papers
contain thoughts too matured for the mind of an
* untutored 9 heathen. A remark, here, may remove
any suspicion that the translator has been too par-
tial to his teacher, his pupil, and afterwards his fel-
low-laborer. A Hindoo Brahmun is not an untu-
tored heathen ; and Babajee possessed, in addition
to the ordinary Brahminical learning, much know-
ledge of the Christian religion. It is true, that the
Brahmuns possess but a very little true science;
and it is equally true that Babajee had but a specu-
lative acquaintance with Christianity. But the false
phiosophy and the subtle metaphysics of the former,
and the general Christian knowledge of the latter!
presuppose, in Babajee, a sort of mental discipline,
and a kind of mental discrimination, which gave
him a mind of a very different caste from that of jut
Esquimaux or a Hottentot

It may excite some curiosity to know from what
source Babajee derived his arguments on the follow-
ing subjects. They are strictly the results of his
own reflections, aided by the views which he derived

n» O T"*> ^T O X *
£j$J*\ v,_/='' J-J9

190 HIS DAILY SKFLOYMENT.

in conversation with others. He could neither seed
nor speak Eoglish, nor had he access to books in his
own language on any of these topics; consequently
he was thrown for his resources, principally, if not
entirely, on his own mind ; and hence, though his
ideas are not new to the theologian, we may claim
originality for them as it respects their author.

Babajee, for the most part of the *unte when not
absent with me on preaching tours*' bad* portion of
each day which be might employ in study or wri-
ting, lie rose early of a morning ; attended to his
domestic concerns ; visited our native schools from
air to eight ; and was present at owr religion* ser-
vices about half past eight, in which he generally
■took a part or wholly conducted. On these occa-
sions, the members of our native church, the inmates
*>f the poor asylum, and all in any way connected
with, or dependent on its, were required to be pre-
sent. Here Babajee made some of his happiest e£
flits, in imparting, religions instruction* The con-
temptuous Brahmnn, whcee aneer he oenkUnot bat
sometimes feel, was seldom present ; ahd he would,
unrestrainedly, throw his whole ssul into the ess*,
cises of the occasion. At the close of &is senate,
which continued about an bourv he went to this asy-
lum to distribute the daily allowance to thsipoor.
While distributing to these wretched befogs the
meat that perisbeth, he was always careful to impart
the food of the soul, which etadOreth to evtslsstilf

LABOftS AT THB ASYLUM. 101

He frequently spent an hour at the asylum,
sometimes in quieting the ungrateful murmurs of
those, who, although they had been taken from
the streets when starving, or begging a miserable
existence, but were now well fed and clothed, were
continually importuning him for something more,
And practising every art of deception to induce him

to intercede for an increase of their allowance.

•

Sometimes he was devising means for their comfort,
by teaching them how to economize in their domestic
affairs-; but more frequently he was with the sick
and the infirm, praying witli them, and endeavoring
to impart to their dark minds a ray of divine light,
to guide their exit from their present wretched state,
to an unfading inheritance beyond the grave. He
exerted a most happy influence among the inmates
of the asylum. They loved him as a parent, and re-
vered him as a spiritual teacher.

He usually returned to his house about half past
ten, and prepared for breakfast, which he took about
eleven. This is a very usual hour of taking the
first meal in India. The natives of the country not
unfrequently do their day's work before they eat.
During the heat of the day Babajee was generally
at liberty to employ his time in his own house, ex-
cept when I had occasion for his services to assist
me in some department of my studies in the Mahrat-
ha language. To him I was indebted for the most

essential aid, not only in the prosecution of such

9 #

10t 1ASAJBI AN 0T7TCAST.

studies, but in the acquisition of a gteat mass of me*
ful knowledge respecting the manners, customs^ and
euperstkioos of his benighted countrymen.

At five o'clock, he accompanied mt into the
bazar, or to one of our preaching places, for the pan-
poeeof addressing the people on the subject of Chris-
tianity, and of distributing, tracts and books. Theae
irregular exercises, in which Babajee always render-
ed essential assistance, generally continued about
AH hour and a half* Babajee. had become an out-
cast by his profession of Christianity ; and so itmfr
orate was the prejudice against bimon this- account,
.that he could only act as my helper*; , He could do
nothing of himself, When the assembly had . hem
collected, and I had gone on at some length in ihe
•abject of discourse, I would reft* *to hknn&aperaaa
who wouldJ&iifA what iJtad . begun.. < Tbe people
would then regard hjm as .« speaking my words;" and
would hear him with It* mroe, consideration a* they
bad listened to me. He did not, hewwer^ exp*
rienee the same difficulty when giving instruction
in a more private way. Pevsona of fii* ftoquawtr
ance > and not unfrequentiy Bratoun&:M>frag<e*fctt^
were in the habit of coming, to his house* where hi
held tho most free and unres*rred d* cushions on
religious subjects, and, tenderly and vehemently
urged on them the claims pf Christianity, and d&an?
fully refuted the error* of Bfahnmniwn. Them
irere, I bplieve* many, mieng hia numerous viaiftan*

PS4NNP8 OF f BEATKUU 106

who highly respected him, not merely at a learned
•Jkfebmun, bat as a oaoere and detiont we n bip et of
the true God.

Babajee usually spent an hour Witk ns of an ere- *
mug, at our family devotion*, and in conversation on
the Scriptures, or on Christian duty and praetioa
After, which hef retired to his own houao, where, at
tentimes, till a late hour of the night, lie wMBbmti
jringi.ag Christian hymns of hie own compnsttioo.
H* possessed a oheeafttl heart , and *was for the most
ftti* of tbe<iime* a happy Christian.

With the above mutatis, on the occasion whack
gave rise to the following paper*, and the resources
.which he possessed for writing them, and the man-
gier of epiployingtotioie^the'Wadbr wiU be enabled
tbe more justly 40 #ppr#csafe thejspecimeas of con*
portion and of thought which llwre vakjmm

Pratf* of Crvtfion vitfmU the md of jSbrtpfctf-a.

"If ypu say the universe was from eternity, let
naa aa}c, are not men, beasts, birds, <fcc, of the crea*
lion? Surely, these are a part of creation. This
being allowed, who will say thttf tbe unmsse is
from eternity ? Thm, which are a part of the un*
verse, are not from eternity. Furthermore, if aH
things are from eternity, how comes it to pass that
ttjey are subjeet to phange t Hence it appears *faa*
the universe was created.

104 noon or casino*.

"My second proof is this: It is known to be &
principle that when water is made turbid by agita-
tion, the heavier particles will, by the power of their
own gravity, fall, and collect at the bottom, while the
light particles rise. According to this principle the
earth seems to have been formed. For, by digging
into the earth there are found to be layers of earth,
stone, <fcc, one above another. The same is found
to be true on the tops of the highest mountains. On
the summits of these mountains are found petrifac-
tions of shells and fish. Hence it appears not only
that the earth was created, but that it was formed
out of a thick watery consistence.

"The third argument is drawn from the im-
port of the word, trustee (universe). This is a
significant term, viz. that which is created. The
term srustee, cannot, therefore, be applied to that
which is from eternity. If this term may properly
be applied only to things which appear, then it is
evident they were created.

' + "Fourthly, it is said in the Rig-vada, ( before the
creation of the universe the Spirit existed alone.'
Hence it appears that the universe is not eternal, but
was created by Jehovah, who is from everlasting; to
everlasting. With him there is neithet beginning
nor end.

" The fifth argument is this : If the world had
from eternity, the earth would ere this have

SXISTEHCB OF QODw 105

become one great plain, by means of rains. Bat we
see many very high mountains." .

Existence of God*

" Do you say there is no God ? Then hear : —
1 exist, you exist, and we are conscious df oar exist-
ence. We have the faculty of speaking, hearing,
walking, and thinking ; we have understanding, re*
flection, and knowledge. Whence are all these ?
And who formed us in the womb ? Who protected
and nourished us then ? Our mother had no such
power. Who then did preserve us? Who after-
wards nourished our limbs, by means of food taken
in at the month ? Did our mother ? Who forms the
chicken in the shell ? If you cannot answer, I will
tell you. He who gave us existence and protected
ns in the womb — he alone is God, and self existent

"I mention- another proof— by whose power is
this globe kepi in the firmament ? If you say by
Mfc <*wn, then I reply, the earth is hut an inanimate
tody, «ud it does not eontaiN in itself the power of
remaining in the expanse of the heavens. If you
throw a stone or a piece of earth into the^air, does it
by any power in itself remain in the air, or does it
fell ? By whose power then is the earth sustained ?
U youeadnot reply, I will tell you. It is upheld by
th* Almighty God. This is a dbser protf of the ex<.
jstmoe of God.
-.. M The skill dispkyed ia the. contrivance of the

100 rrjRRirmr of ood.

human body, furnishes another argument of the ex-
istence of God. For example, the joints of the hands
and feet will not turn back. Here appears a happy
design. Were it otherwise, one could not lay hold
of an object with the hand, or do any kind of busi-
ness. He made the mouth, but did not put it in the
hinder part of the head, for whatever is put into the
mouth must be put in by the hand, in front Eyes
were made for the body ; and in the eye are films, or
humors, in which there is no blood, but water.
The design displayed in this appears to be, that
the light must enter through the water, and by this
means external objects be made to appear. The
eyes were not placed in the back port <>f the head —
for, in that case, no one could see what he does with
his hands.

" God gave to man two ears. These he did not
place in the forehead, or in any place but on the side
of the head. In this there appears design, that he
may hear sound from every direction. Hence, frosi
the skill and intelligence displayed in the construc-
tion of the human body, it appears there is aa infi-
nite and all-wise Being."

The eternity of Ood.

" Ho— rilling exists, and therefore something must
have existed without a beginning ; and if that some-
thing exists without a beginning, then will it not exist
eternally ? From this something, the universe ori-

HINDOO itOTIONS OF GOD. 107

gpnated. For it is certain there is no power in the
material universe to create itself. Hence, it appears
that there was an agent. Moreover, all things in the
universe continue to move on with the same' regu-
larity and precision as they formerly did. From
this it is evident there must still be a governor ; and
if He is y and was, he will be a governor to all eter-
nity. Another argument which might be adduced,
is, that God is a Spirit, and therefore will not cease
to be."

The above is the commencement of a series of
papers which Babajee began to write on theological
subjects. He had not written on the moral attri-
butes of God. But the specimens here given will
suffice to show what were his notions of a Dfetty ;
and when the above views of the Supreme Being
are compared with the vague, incongruous, and un-
worthy notio w i ntart ained by the Hindoos in gene*
ral; and when it is considered that these are the
views of one who but a few months ago emerged from
the depths of a moat debasing system of idolatry, the
pious reader will magnify the grace of God, which
alone brought him from natures darkness into his
marvelous light The following extracts are taken
principally from " Mr. Ward's view of the Hindoos,' 9
aed as they tery correctly illustrate the indefinite
and unworthy notions of the idoktot* of India in
reference to the Deity, aa well as the revolting cha*

108 BMTOOO MOTION*

raoter of their own inferior divinities, I here quote
them, in order to bring out the contrast

" No question occur* so frequently in the Hindoo
shastras as this : what is God? to know whether he
exists or not, page upon page has been written, and
this question has been agitated in every period of
Hindoo history, whenever two or three pundits-hap
pened to meet! with a solicitude, bat, at the sane
time, wkh> an uncertainly, which carries us at onoe
to the apostolic declaration, ' the world by wisdom
hnew not God.' Some pundits call him. the. invisible
and e*er*bieesed ; others conceive of him as possess*
ing form ; others have the idea that he exists like
an inconceivably small atqm ; sometimes he is male }
at other times female; sometimes both male and fe»
male, prodocpug a world by conjugal union : soma*
times the elements assume his piaoe, and at othes
times he ie a deified hera Thus i* this* hundred
and thirty nalkoas of ftnns, .» or names* *ie nation,
in die emphatieal language of 8t Parol, has been*
from agate agej 'feeling *Aer> the Anpteme Beings
like men groping *in the region and shadow of
death ;'i and* after so many centuries, the question ii
m much undetermined as ever, what is God %

M One day,* in conversation with the Saugskvita
head pundtt-ef the college of Port William, on the
sutyeet of God, thia man, who is truly learned ioftm
own shastras; gave the author, fi*m one of their

Or THB BBIT7. 109

feooks, the following parable : ' In a certain country
4he*e existed a village of blind men, who had heard
4>f an amazing animal called the elephant, of the
•shape of which, however, they could procure no
idea. One day an elephant passed through the
ylace : the villagers crowded to the spot where {he
lyuyal was standing ; and one of them seized bis
trunks another his ear, another his tail, another one
of his legs. After thus endeavoring to gratify their
curiosity, they returned into the village, and sitting
down together, began to communicate their ideas
on the shape of the elephant to the villagers. The
man who had seized his trunk said, he thought this
animal must be like the body of the plantain tree ;
lie who had touched his ear, was of opinion that he
was like the winnowing/an ; the man who had laid
bold of his tail, said, he thought he must resemble
a snake ; and Jie who had caqght his lqg, declared,
lie must be like a pillar. An old blind man of some
judgment was present, who, though greatly perplex-
ed in attempting to reconcile these jarring notions,
at length said : You have all been to examine this
animal ; and what you report, therefore, cannot be
false. I suppose, then, that the part resembling th*
plantain tree, must be his trunk ; what you thought
similar to a fan, must be his ear ; the part like a
snake, must be the tail ; and that like a pillar must
he his leg.' In this way, the old man, uniting all

their conjectures, made out something of the form

110 THE CHARACTER

of the elephant. Respecting God, added the pandit,
we are all blind ; none of us have seen him ; those
who wrote the shastras, like the old blind man, hare
collected all the reasonings and conjectures of man-
kind together, and have endeavored to form some
idea of the nature of the Divine Being. It is an ir-
resistible argument in favor of the majesty, simpli-
city, and truth of the Holy Scriptures, thai nothing
of this uncertainty has been left on the mind of the.
most illiterate Christian. However mysterious the
subject, we never hear such a question started in
Christian countries : What is God ?

" The doctrine of a plurality of gods, with their
consequent intrigues, criminal amours, quarrels, and
stratagems to counteract each other, has produced
the most fatal effects on tha minds of men. Can we
expect a people to be better than their gods ? Bru na-
na was inflamed with evil desires towards his owa
daughter. Yishnoo, when incarnate as Bamunu,
deceived king Bulee, and deprived him of his king*
dom. Shrorts wife was constantly jealous on ac-
count of his amours, and charged him with associat-
ing with the women of a low caste : the story of
Shiva and Mohinee, a female form of Yishnoo, is
shockingly indelicate. Yrihusputee, the spiritual
guide of the gods, committed a rape on his eldest
brother's wife. Indru was guilty of dishonoring the
wife of his spiritual guide. Sooryu ravished a vir-
gin named Koontee. Yunau, in a passion, kicked

OF TUB SXNOOO •OD8. Ill

is own mother, who cursed him, and afflicted him
with a swelled leg, which to this day the worms am
constantly devouring. Ugnee was inflamed with
evil desires towards six virgins, the daughters of as
many sages, but was overawed by the presence of
his wife. Buluramu was a great drunkard. Vayoo
waajfeursed by Dukshu for making his daughters
crooked when they refused his embraces. He is also
charged with a scandalous connection with a female
monkey. When Yuroortn was walking in his own
heaven, he was so smitten with the charms of Oorvu-
shee, a courtezan, that, after a long contest, she was
scarcely able to extricate herself from him. Krishnu's
thefts, wars, and adulteries, are so numerous, thai
his whole history seems to be one uninterrupted
series. In the images of Kalee, she is represented
as treading on the breast of her husband. Lukshmee
and Luniftwatee, the wives of Yishnoo, were con-
tinually quarreling. It is worthy of inquiry, how
the world is governed by these gods more wicked
than men, that we may be able to judge how far
they can be the objects of faith, hope, and affection.
Let us open the Hindoo sacred writings ; here we
see the Creator and the Preserver perpetually conn
teractkig each other. Sometimes the Preserver it
destroying, and at other times the destroyer is pre*
serving. On a certain occasion Shiva granted to
the great enemy of the gods, Ravanu, a blessing
which set all their heavens in an uproar, and drove

113 MIKDOO GODS.

Ike three hundred and thirty millions of gods into a
state of desperation. Brumha created Koomblra-
kurmi, a monster larger than this whole island of
Lunka, bat was obliged to doom him to an almost
perpetual sleep, to prevent his producing a univer-
sal famine. This god is often represented as bestow-
ing a Messing, to remove the effects of which Yish-
noo is obliged to become incarnate; nayyihese ef-
fects have not in some cases been removed till all
the gods have been thrown into confusion, and all
the elements seized and turned against the Creator,
the Preserver, and the Reproducer. When some.
giant, blessed by Brumha, has destroyed the creation,
Yishnoo and Shiva have been applied to ; bat they
have confessed that they could do nothing far the
tottering universe.

" Reverence for the gods, especially among the
poor, as might be expected, does not exceed* their
merits ; yet it is a shocking fact, that language like
the following should be used respecting what the
Hindoos suppose to be the providence which go-
verns the world. When it thunders awfully, respec-
table Hindoos say, l Oh ! the gods are giving us a
bad day;' the lowest orders say, l The rascally gods
are dying. 1 During a heavy rain, a woman of
respectable caste frequently says, 'Let the gods perish!
my clothes are all wet.' A man of low cast says,
c These rascally gods are sending more rain.*

" In witnessing suoh a state of gross ignorance.

ACCOUNTABILITY. 113

a subject of infinite moment to men, how forcibly
• do we feel the truth and the wisdom of the decla-

ration of the Divine Author of the Christian religion,
* This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God !'
"Shiva is represented as ornamented with a
necklace of skulls, covered with the ashes of a fu-
neral pile, alighting in cemeteries, and accompanied
by a train of ghosts and goblins. 1 "

I cannot better supply the reader with the key to
the religion, as well as the practice of the Hindoos,
than by transcribing the following remarks of Mr.
W. on the doctrine of accountability, as taught in
the Hindoo writings, and continually reiterated in
the ears of the people by their religious teachers.
How any man who has conversed with an intelli-
gent Hindoo trfo hours, can deny the truth of these
remarks, I cannot conceive. But, strange as it is,
Col. Kennedy, who has resided in India many years,
and written a book on the mythology of the Hindoos,
says, in reference to the following quotations, '< noth-
ing can be more erroneous, and I could hope not
intentionally so, than these remarks of Mr. Ward."
And in a note to the same work he adds, " I know
pot with what kind Of Hindoos Mr. Ward conversed)
but such sentiments are at total variance with the
clearest principles of the Hindoo religion.' 9

Remarks ofs uch a character, and from such a

• See Chapter Xm, Pert II.
10*

114 HINDOO .NOTIONS

source, although at war with the general experience
of Europeans, and contradicted by the concession of
every native who has occasion to speak on the sub-
ject of accountability, are no more extraordinary
than the testimony which the same author bears in
another part of his book to the " virtue, the amia*
bleness, and the delicacy of Hindoo females." I
know not with what kind of Hindoo females the Col.
was conversant, but such sentiments are at total
variance with the clearest exhibitions of Hindoo
character.

There are reasons, which I need not here repeat,
why a man of Col. Kennedy's character and views,
should feel so much complacency in the natives of
this country. In reading his Mythology, the Chris-
tian unavoidably feels that his partialities are on the
side of Hindooism. He gives us but very doubtful
reason to believe, that, were the prevalence of Chris-
tianity, or the predominance of the &ith of the Brah-
muns, left to his choice, he would not prefer the lat-
ter, He is by no means, however, singular in his
views on this subject. The number of Europeans,
(Christians by name, and exalted above the misera-
ble people about them only by the reflex influence of
Christianity,) who believe, or pretend to believe, that
the Hindoo would not be the gainer by exchanging
the abominations of Brahminism for the "pure and
undefiled religion of Jesus Christ," is fer from being
small So true it is, that only a licentious religion

OF ACCOUNTABILITY. 115

can suit a licentious people. Strip Christianity of
its uncompromising demands, and neither the hea-
then, the Mussulman, or the baptized infidel, will feel
any dislike for it ' Mr. Ward says :

" The Hindoo writings farther teach, that it is
the Great Spirit which is diffused through every
form of animated matter : that actions of every kind
are his : that he is the charioteer, and the body the
chariot : that it is the highest attainment of human
wisdom to realize the fact, that the human soul and
Bramhu are one and the same. By this doctrine, all
accountability is destroyed, and liability to punish*
ment rendered preposterous. How often has the author
heard it urged by the most sensible Hindoos, that the
moving cause of every action, however flagitious, is
God : that man is an ihstrument upon Which God
plays what tune he pleases. Another modification
of this doctrine is that of fate, unchangeable destiny ;
embraced, without a dissentient voice, hy all the
Hindoos. Thus the Deity, on his throne, is insulted
as the author of all primes*, and men are emboldened
to rush forward in die swiftest career of ini-
quity"

The Hindoos are the most cold-blooded fatalists
in the world. Every occurrence in life is the result of
dire necessity. If they are prosperous, it is fate. If
they are in distress, it is fate. To lie, cheat, or steal,
is fate. To be idle, dissipated, impoverished, and
imprisoned, is fate. The poor sufferer apparently

116 THEI1L FATALISM.

feels no remorse that his own sin has brought misery
on him; He only curses his hard fate. The thief
or the robber is detected, convicted, and condemned
to prison or chains for life. He apparently never
regards himself as suffering the just penalty of the
violated law. He submits with the uttermost cool-
ness to his lot, as being the irresistible decision of
fate, over which he could have no control, and in
which he has bo responsibility. The murderer is
arraigned, tried, and sentenced to the gallows. He
confesses no guilt ; and manifests the most perfect
indifference. The intention, the act of murder, the
detection) the sentence, and the execution, are all
alike the consequences of incorrigible fate, in which
he had no direction, agency, or responsibility. De-
daring his innocency to the last, he goes to the
gallows as coolly as he would go to his dinner; and
launches into eternity as regardless of futurity as
the brutes. All with him is fate. The application
which natives frequently make of this term is some-
times really laughable. A child, who was usually
very peevish and noisy, was one day crying inces-
santly, to the great annoyance of all ifi the house.
A hamal (bearer) who took careof him, and was much
attached to him, hearing the complaints which were
brought against his little charge, felt called on to de-
fend him from all censure on that subject. " The
child is not to be blamed for crying," said he, *' it is
his fate to cry*

ON JVtmiCATlON. 117

CHAPTER VI.

»■

Ttmtiaem on Jas<iflcatioii.—R«g«nerttion.— Repentance.— The atone-
ment and operation of the Spirit.— Neceaarty of the Holy Spirit

The following treatise on Justification was writ-
ten by Babajee some months before bis death, and
was read as a sermon to our native congregation on
the Sabbath. I insert it without mutilation, except
the omitting of numerous quotations of Scripture,
with only a reference to the chapter and verse, pre-
suming, on the patience of the reader, that he will
not dislike to see a detailed specimen of Babajee's
views on this essential point of divinity. The cate-
chetical form of the first part of it would not appear
unnatural to a Hindoo audience. Babajee's views
on the doctrine of the depravity of man, will appear
in connection with the treatises on Justification* and
Regeneration. Hence, nothing is here inserted ex-*
pressly on that subject.

JUSTIFICATION.

u How are you, my brethren, to be justified ?

" Ans. We shall be justified by the law of
works.

" Q. Men and brethren, do you walk according
to the law of works ?

119 A TBXAT18B

" A. As our fathers did, so do we. Be it so ;
but it seems to me that your fathers were deceitful,
fraudulent, untrue, knavish, perverse; adulterers,
lascivious, lax in the performance of all prescribed
rites ; and, in a word, like ko run gee fruit, which ex-
ternally appears exceedingly beautiful, but is full of
deadly poison. For, according to what you say, we
are to infer that you expect salvation by walking in
the path which your forefathers trod. But do I not
see among you many who bear a character similar
to the one I have above described? Are you not
then condemned by the law ?

" Why do you cast off that God who has given
the commandment, ' Thou shalt have no other gods
before me ;' even the true, the pure, the merciful
God, the Almighty Creator, Supporter, and Pro*
tector of the universe, run after demons, such as
Khundaba, Mhussaba, Kanhoba, Zuree-Murree,
(Cholera Morbus)* and such like demons ? Why cUv
you make, and then worship, the images of gods. Do
you suppose that the divinity resides in the image,
and not in another place. God is every where, just
as much as he is in the image or idol.

" That God, who is a spirit, and pervades every
thing, has given the following command ; ' Thou
shalt not worship idols, nor bow down 1 to them noj

'* See Chap. IX. Part II., where an account of the superstitions
respecting the cholera is given somewhat in detail.

ON JUSTIFICATION. 119

serve them.' Such a holy command as this you
transgress, and, at the same time say, ' we are holy.'
Alas ! alas ! What wonder ! Lax in the performance
of all moral and religions duties, even such as are
prescribed in your Own shastras, how many of you
are like the fruit of the colocynth, or bitter apple,
having a fair outside, but inwardly, good for no*
thing. You strut through the bazar, the village, the
town, or the country, ridiculing and abusing any
one, who speaks the truth, or gives instruction
concerning the truth. Who are you that you should
do this ? Alas ! Ye men of Nuggur, I tell you the
truth ; he that speaks truth, and instructs concern*
ing the truth, he is of God ; and whatever he says,
this is of God. He declares to you the message of
God, and this message you ought to regard ; but you
not only ridicule the message of the most high God,
but abuse the messenger. Do you imagine that God
will not punish for this ? Think not so. Wherever
there is sin, there will be the wrath of God ; there*
fore flee from the coming wrath : for, if you do not
escape, his wrath will surely fall on you. Flee
now ; there is a sure way of escape. There is but
one way, and that way is Jesus Christ. There is
but one time, and that time is this life, this birth, as
you say. Beware, escape ; I bring to you the mes-
sage. The wrath of God is coming on sinners ;
therefore awake, and flee for your life.

" Men and brethren, search again, how are you

120 A TEBATISB

to escape the punishment of sin 1 How are you to
be justified ? You have no righteousness of your
own ; you cannot obey the law of God. You are
weak ; your nature is sinful. You, and I, and all
men, sin in word, deed, and thought We may do
some things, it is true, which are in conformity to
the law of works ; but there is no merit from such
acts. Just as if one were, according to the Hindoo
shastras, to practise religious austerities for lacks of
years, and then a single sinful thought were to enter
the mind, the merit attached to the whole would be
lost. So it is written in the word of God, ' by the
deeds of the law you cannot be justified.' So«also it
is said in one of the vadas. [The proof texts here
quoted, are, Romans 3 : 20. 5 : 13, 20. 7 : 7. <Gala-
tians 3: 10, 11.] Having failed, therefore, my bre-
thren, to do the works of the law, and being ene-
mies of God, how are you to be justified V " Arts,
We shall be justified by practising the upasuna
margu* (the way of salvation by the -worship of
images, Brahmuns, <fca &c.) and by the worship of
the Supreme God." " But, if you cannot (as has
been shown) keep the law of works, in regard to
penance, &a, then how are you to gain merit by

* There are three ways of obtaining blessedness after death, says
the Brahman; one by works, as bathing, penance, feeding Brah-
muns ; one by worshiping idols, deified men, the host of neaven,
and the like: and the other by pure meditation, and the worship of
God spiritually, without the aid of an external form. The first of
these is a stepping stone to the second, and the second to the third.
Hence the distinction made between the law of works and the
raw of worship, or the upasuna margu.

ON JUSTIFICATION. 1S1

worship either of idols, or (by the worship) of God.
Will God regard such worship ? He will not regard
it. God is, indeed, worthy to be venerated and
adored; and he must be worshiped, served, and
obeyed ; but while you are sinful, and continue to
commit sin, the worship which you render unto
God will only incense him the more. Alas ! alas !
sin can never be pardoned in that way, or right-
eousness acquired, or hell escaped. What is to be
done ? Alas ! alas ! brethren, if you cannot work out
a righteousness for yourselves ; and if without right-
eousness you cannot be saved, then whence is right-
eousness to come? If this be your inquiry, then
hear, and I will speak : ' But now the righteousness
of God without the law is manifested, being witness-
ed by the law and the prophets; that is to say, the
righteousness of God which is by faith in Jesus, for all
and unto all who believe, for there is no difference ;
for all have sinned and come short of the glory of .
God; being justified freely by his grace, through the
redemption which is in Christ Jesus.' (Rom. 3 : 21.
to the end of the chapter ; also, Gal. 2: 16. 21.) Alas !
my people, what shall we say to you ? Life is fleet-
ing away, and going for nought, assays the shlok :

' Though day and night and even and morn return ;
Seasons and times their changeless courses run ;
The monster Death to all his power shall show,
And cast the wicked down to everlasting wo.'

Therefore, I beseech you, men and brethren, cast
off all hope of the w orld ; relinquish the idea of being

t22 A tMAtlSB

justified by the deeds of the law or by your own right-
eousness ; cast aw#y every systeto of your own devi-
sing, and accept of the Christian religion, which God
devised for the salvation of the whole human race.
This is the only suitable religion for man. What is
religion ? It is that, by the observance of which God
is propitiated ; that is religion, that is true religion —
that is the religion ordained of God, for man. And
the religion ordained by God, and the one by Which
he may be propitiated, is this ; that Whosoever pro-
fesses the Christian religion with full purpose of heart,
and believing that Jesus Christ is the true Saviour, and
truly repenting of sin, obtains the righteousness of
Christ : him will God account as righteoiis through
the righteousness of Jesus Christ. How surpassing- *
ly great is the mercy of God ! I cannot describe it.
My only hope is, that God will reckon me as right-
eous on account of faith in Christ ; as it is written,
1 To him that worketh not, but believeth oh him
that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness, even as David also describeth the
blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth right-
eousness without works, saying, ( Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are co-
vered. Messed is the man to whom the Lord will
not impute sin.' Do you not desire such bless-
edness ? or do you despise the goodness and forbear-
ance of God ? Think not that God is obliged to save
you, of that he has any need of you. If h£ saves at

ON JUSTIFICATION. 128

i i ,

all, he will save gratuitously. Christian brethren,
1 God commendeth his love towards us, that while we
were yet sinners Christ died for us ; much more then
being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through him. For if when we were en-
emies we were reconciled to God through the death
of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be
saved by his life.'

"Beloved, the Son of God is the Saviour of the
world, -and the Son is none other than the great
Spirit himsejf. If you ask why the Spirit is called a
Son, then attend, and I will tell you. In one of the
vadas there is suc.h a passage as this : — The great
Spirit shall be adored in the person of the Son,
from which \t appears that God became incarnate
in the form of the Son of man to save sinners. This
is Jesus Christ. By the word Son, then, understand
one who saves from hell.

" Men and brethren, is there any among the sons
of men who can save from sin? There is none; for
that whjch is Ijorn of flesh is flesh. The children
of this world are disobedient children, but the child
of the Most High was beloved and obedient. ' Be-
hold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased ;' and moreover, God
has said, * Whosoever repents of sin and believes in
my Son, he shall be justified through the righteous-
ness of the Son.' Will not God regard his promise?"

124 JUSTIFICATION.

Another address of Babajee contains the follow-
ing shrewd remarks on the same subject :

" How can yon expect to be justified by works ?
Who among you keep the law? Not one. What is
the nature of the righteousness in which you trust ?
Your righteousness is, in my opinion, like a counter-
feit rupee, which has one part silver, and ten parts
brass, or lead, or tin. If such a rupee be taken into
the bazar and tried, will it pass for a good one ? No.
Should a man who had sustained an unblemished
character from his birth to the present time, commit
a single theft, and at the same time give largely in
charity to the poor ; and should the government be
apprized of it and send sepoys to take him and bring
him to trial ; and should he begin to say, ( I have
stolen but once, and have even given the avails of
this to the poor, therefore discharge me.' Will the
government liberate him ? No. My friends, yon
cannot do works which are perfect in the sight of
the law ; and if the righteousness of the works which
you perform cannot profit you, then what is your
condition ? You must have righteousness, and you
must have the pardon of your past sins. What will
you do ? how will you obtain righteousness ? If we
shall go to the Ganges, and there make our residence
and daily bathe in the sacred stream, shall we be
free from sin ? Consider the frogs and reptiles which
have lived in the holy river their whole lives ; but

BBGEXERATIQN. 125

they are not yet holy or pure. If holiness were
copimunicated by bathing in the Ganges, why then
are not these made holy ?

" Again ; if any one say that God will justify him
toho submits to eat the five productions of the cow/
I will ask him one question. If you become right-
eous by using the dung, qr the milk, or the curd, or
the butter^ or the urine of the cow, why do you not
say that the cow in which these things reside is
righteous? Do you regard the cow, which feeds
from the dunghill, holy ? If she be holy why do you
not eat her flesh, which is also holy ? Why do you
not wear her skin, which is holy V

The extracts which follow will give a summary
view of Babajee's ideas of regeneration, repentance,
atonement, and the necessity and operation of the
Holy Spirit.

* ¥

KE0ENERATION.

" * Jeans answering said unto him*, Except a man
be barn again he cannot see the kingdom of God J

"All men are sinners, and (herefpre cannot wor-
ship a holy God acceptably* For a holy. God can
only be worshiped in holiness and truth. Therefore

* The sanctity attached to the cow's excrements is truly ridicu-
lous. Eating her dung and drinking her mine is not unireguently
done, as a penance, for having transgressed some of their foolish tra-
ditions, orsoraft injunctions of the Brahmuns ; or, in other words, for
sin. These excrements are. also held sacred, and used to wash the
hands and face, or to rub on any part of the body, either as a religious

136 ftE&EHEKATlOK.

unless there be a regeneration of the heart, neither
you, nor I, nor any one, can worship God accepta-
bly. Without purity of heart no expedient for ob-
taining eternal blessedness will be of any avail.
1 Marvel not,' says our Saviour, * that I said unto you,
ye must be born again.' Reflect, consider ; for with-
out reflection who can understand ? No one can obtain
blessedness with God without a clean heart. But'
the heart of man is full of all uncleanness, as it is
written in Romans 1 : 29 — 32. Being filled with
all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covet-
ousness, maliciousness ; full of envy, murder, de-
bate, deceit, <fcc. How can a mind rendered impure
by such things worship the pure God? It cannot
be. Therefore, from such impurity our minds must
be cleansed. Ye worshipers of idols, what method
have you for purifying the heart? Do you say it
must be done by holy bathing, pilgrimage, religious
austerity, and the repetition of the names of your
deities, of charms, (fee, <fcc? In the same shastras in
which these expedients are prescribed, it is also said,
( first make the heart holy, then bathe, do penance,
and the like. 9 Although any one may repeat names,
mortify his body, dwell in the wilderness, give in
charity, go on pilgrimage to holy places, wrap him-
self in meditation, bathe, worship, and sacrifice, if
his heart be not pure, it is all vain ? These remedies
can be of no use to sinners in cleansing the heart ;
and if the heart were once holy, they would not be

•j

BSQSXfBBATIOir. 1ST

needed; consequently, they are altogether use*
less.

"It is written (Rom. 1 : 1 3—26) that the wrath of
God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness : because that which may be known
of God, is manifest in them : for God hath showed it
unto them. For the invisible things of him from
the creation of the world are clearly seen, being un-
derstood by the things that are made, even his eter-
nal power and Godhead ; so that they are without
excuse : because that, when they knew God, they
glorified him not as God, neither were thankful ; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools ; and changed the glory of
the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts,
and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave
them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their
own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between
themselves : who changed the truth of God into a
lie, and worshiped and served the creature more
"than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For the same cause God hath given us Hindoos up
to vile affections. Who among you, my brethren,
worketh righteousness? No one: as it is written,
1 there is none righteous no not one. There is none
that understandeth ; there is none that seeketh after

xae Mimmm **'

God. They are all gone out of the way ; they are
together become unprofitable; there is none that
doeth good, no not one.' How then can we be
saved ? You will reply, ' by walking each man ac-
cording to his own religion.' That every xoan
ought to walk according to his own religion, (that is,
according to the system which God ordained for
him,) and by this means only he will be saved, I fully
believe ; and that all men may thus walk, I labor,
. and pray. But you, having cast off this religion
have adopted another (one ordained of men). There-
fore I assure you, that, although the professing of
the true religion should be at the peril of your life,
. nevertheless the end will be happiness ; and though
the practice of a false religion be attended with pre-
sent comfort, the end is fearful.

" Not only have you renounced your own religion,
.but you have adopted the religion {the practice) of
beasts. They eat, drink, sleep, enjoy the female, and
care only for these things. In like manner you mani-
fest no concern about your salvation, but only desire
-to eat, drink, deep, acquire .money and reputation,
commit adultery, and defraud others/ Hence I
ask, Is this, the religion of mm or of beasts? Cerjtaicdy
of beasts. Take ; the goale* of wisdom and examine,

* The Hindoo hat no idea of relkion as connected with parity of
heart* They, have much to say of persons being holy or unholy,

- pore or impure. But as this refers only to ceremonial cleanness, the
heart has nothing to do with it A liar or adulterer may be pure, if
he have bathed and performed the requisite rites ; white the man of

, jmi»0 hwri maybe unholy.

xsForrANCB. 199

and you may by this means ascertain whether the
system which you have chosen be yimr own reli-
gion, or a foreign one. Do you as£ what I mean by
man's own religion ? Then hear. That system of
religion by which God, our Creator, is propitiated,
is man's own proper religion. Things being thus,
how think you now your hearts can be made
clean T

REPENTANCE.

"The heart of man cannot become holy without
repentance. If I inquire why you do not repeat,
some will reply, ' we do repent when we do evil.'
This may be true. But, again I ask, Is your repent-
ance genuine repentance? We believe repentance
is of two kinds, one true and the other false, and
that it is only by true repentance that the heart is
made better. Ob this subject let me ask one question ;
Whenyoti thinkyou exercise repentance toward God,
do yon from that time hate sin ? And do you from
that time keep yourselves from sinful practices ? From
that time do you not entertain sinful desires ? From
that time do you keep yourselves from lust, anger,
drunkenness, envy, covetousness, deceit, hypocrisy,
pride, arrogance, and too much concern for the body ?
My believing friends, if it be not so with us, then our
repentance is not accompanied with a hatred for
sin, but originates only in the fear of punishment
What is true repentance ? I will now mention some

1M lnmAiag.

of the marks of genuine repentance. Th$yareth<
haired of em, confessing of sin, afyd the forsaking- of
mm. Such repentance is necessary. But even this
is not sufficient for salvation. For you have already
committed sin, and how *re you to escape the just
punishment of post ^delinquency ? Repentance can
never appease the wrath of God, which has been
provoked by your past offences. Do you ask what
jnore is requisite in order to secure the pardon of
sin, and how it is to be obtained? Then hear:
When some one, who, as our substitute, will take on
biflftfelf the punishment which is due to our offences,
then the pardon of sin can be obtained. But in the
whole universe, what such substitute shall we find,
who has suffered the punishment of otir sins, and
will free' us from guilt ? He it is who is our aurety ;
four surety, the surety of the whole world ; who hath
suffered the due reward of sin ; who will deliver us
from hell ; who will make us righteous through his
righteousness ; who will enable us to know the Eter-
nal Spirit who dwelleth with God, and who will give
us eternal happiness and infinite bliss. Such is our
Saviour, and such is he whose-gospel I preach."

The Hindoos do not seem destitute of some no-
tions of the doctrine of substitution, though they seem
to have scarcely any right views of sin and genuine
repentance. This is as one might expect, when he
considers what degrading notions they have of God.
It can be no great evil in their eyes to

laws 1 which the lawgi\w himself does not regard.
We need not be surprised to Bee the Hindoos Regard-
ing aWttin as their Saviour, who w as corrupt as
themselves. ^The vile gastfvee, for a few pfce, will
set their tainda at rest oh fhe subject of sin ; and re-
pentance, of course, can be no more **Hm ^sorrow,
arising ' frdra a fear of punishment ; «or rather, I
think; frorti the loss which they may have sustained
from detection. If a titan gains a pice by falsehood,
he tejbtees in Ms falsehood; if he is detected and
loses 'the: pice, he is sorry, and repents. Babajee's
views of the atonement and the operations of the
Holy Spirit, appear from the Allowing' extract :

Atonement and operation of the Holy Spirit.

tx When all raeil had broken the holy law of God,
and became sinful and worthy of hell, then the eter-
nal God devised for our salvation a remedy which is
in every respect suitable. The remedy is tfris : ' The
Supreme God, <hat sinners might be saved, took on
himself a human body, was conceived in a virgin's
womb, without the union of man, became incarnate
in the world, and prepared the way of salvation for
the believing sintoer. * ^The rites and the services, the
sacrifices, and all the requisitions of the law which we
are required to perform Unto God, he hath fulfilled
in our stead. After continuing in the world for
thirty-three years, and Suffering, as our substitute,
he finally offered' up his body as a sacrifice to atone

18f mhvmm of the sraur.

for sin. We must rely with genuine faith on the
Lord Jesus Christ, the anointed Saviour, and pray
to God in his name, confessing sin, and asking the
Holy Spirit. With a due sense of dependence on
God, we must implore the Holy Spirit for the reno-
vation of our hearts. That is, that he would eradi-
cate our sinful affections, and engraft in our hearts
holy affections. For it is the Holy Spirit who puri-
fieth the heart from sinful thoughts, desires, and
imaginations; as concupiscence, anger, drunken-
ness, emulation, covetousness, envy, deceit, quarrel-
ing, licentiousness, and the like. To know whether
there be in our heart the influence of the Holy
Spirit, we must try ourselves by such a test as this ;
namely, have we ' love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance V
If we have not attained these graces, the influence of
the Holy Spirit does not dwell in us. And, more-
over, if these graces do not, from time to time, in-
crease in us, it is an indication that we are not influ-
enced by the Holy Spirit. The minding of the
things of the Spirit is life."

In connection with this subject, it should be re-
marked, that the Hindoos abound in atonements for
sin, ablutions, pilgrimages, penances, fasting, eating
cow-dung, drinking her urine, giving to the Brah-
muns, drinking water in which Brahmuns have dip-
ped their toes, licking the dust from their feet, &c.
While the ignorant people are proverbially suspi-

OF THE HOLT SPI»IT. 19ft

cious in regard to . innovations on their usages, or
any infringement of caste, they are the most credu-
lous creatures imaginable, in the performance of the
fooleries which are imposed on them by the Brah-
urans. They will starve themselves, mangle their
limbs, spend all their living to go on pilgrimage, and
leave their families at home to suffer, or take them a
tedious journey of two or three months to suffer still
more severely, and perhaps die on the road ; and
never does it seem to enter their minds that this is
not praiseworthy with man, and acceptable with
God.* That God only demands a broken heart and
a contrite spirit, and the subjection of the passions
to his will, never seems to enter into their notiohs of
religion.

Necessity of the Holy Spirit.

" Without the aid of the Holy Spirit the heart
cannot be renewed ; and without renovation of heart
no one can exercise true repentance, true faith, true
love, or perform acceptable service in the sight of
God. Therefore the aid of the Spirit is, above
all things, necessary. Do you ask how we are to
obtain the Holy Spirit? To you who reflect, I will
speak. Hear what I say. The Giver of the Holy
Spirit is the Eternal God. If you love God, your
Saviour, with all your mind, and all your soul and

♦ Sea Chapters Vffl. and XIV. Part II.
12

1S4

strength, he will "give you (he Holy Spirit, renew
yoor heart, dwell with yon, and make yen eternally
happy. Whosoever is born of God doth not sin, for
his seed remaineth in him. He cannot sin, because
he it born of God."

CHAPTER VII.

Is tag MrifVin* tb» heart— Mark* of a trae Oooroo.— Ja»
•traction in Sanucrit fene^— Babajee'e poetry— foorhjaij

Buidm the treatises en Justification, Regenera-
tion, <fcc, which I have already inserted, there ap-
pears among his papers the fragment of a discourse
on the means of Sanctification, entitled tt Expedients
for Purifying the Soul." The fragment is the com*
mencement of a discourse, which, like the others,
seems to have been prepared for an address to our
native congregation on the Sabbath. It was probably
unfinished, or the remainder is lost.

" Expedients for Purifying the Soul.

" My brethren, there is no greater inquiry than
this ; How shall the soul be sanctified? Whoever
does not rightly consider this, fails of the great end
of his creation. If you reply, ' we have fully con*
sidered this matter,' then I demand of you, by what

fob muffin 1SB W6VL.

rale, or by what shaatra have you been guided m
your inquiries? Have you taken the Christian sha*
Ira for your guide, or other shastras ? If you have
reasoned according to other shastras, then hear what
I have to say.

I purpose first to speak of die Hindoo shastras*
In these it is written that sin may be pardoned and
destroyed, and eternal blessedness obtained by pet*
ance, by repeating the names of gods, the names of
holy places, passages from the shastras, charms, fcc ;
by forsaking the abodes of man and dwelling in the
desert; by ablution, giving to Brahmuns, and fasting ♦
and by the worship of images, men and devils. True,
it is so written ; but all these expedients, tsttAoufptf*
rUy of heart, can be of no avail in securing future
Hiss ; and if the mind be once holy, there can be no
occasion for such expedients. What then ought
you to do that your hearts may be sanctified? By
worshiping corruptible gods you dishonor the in*
corruptible God. This is an infinite am. Those
whom you call gods" ~

[J&rs th* fragment mid*.]

The following paper, which did not attract my
attention till a late period in the preparation of this
Memoir, has interested me too much to allow it to
pass unnoticed. If I have not perused it with undue
partiality, the pious Christian, and also the minister
of the gospel, will, <m reading these excellent re*

IdS cflABAcrownos

Marks on the qualifications of a religious teacher,de-
rive an advantage and pleasure beyond what I had
hoped and expected in the preparation of this little
book. He may feel a gratification in knowing thai
a depraved son of India, and a corrupt priest of Bra-
ma, may, by the power and grace of God, become his
teacher in the momentous concerns of the soul's sal-
vation. These are the effusions of a heart, but eigh-
teen months before benighted in idolatry, and led
captive by Satan at his will. I am not quite sure
that I have in every instance exhibited the exact
meaning of the original. The style, idiom, and much
of the language, is Sanskrit, written in a measured
style of poetry like, the Hindoo sacred books. I am
conscious in the translation of all Babajee's papers, of
falling far short of the original in vividness and
strength of expression. It is but a translation,
which must always mean something in some de-
gree different from, and generally inferior to, the
original. I am sensible of unusual deficiency in the
following paper, especially in the description given
of false teachers. The comparison, for example, of
the Hindoo goozoo, or a deceitful teacher with a liz-
zard, falls far short of the same in Mahratha. One
must see the great red-headed lizard of India, mo*
ting from place to place, and stopping every moment]
and stretching his long neck, first one way, then the
other, as if intent on spying out the most minute
thing, and he will then know how apt the compari-

OF X MBS XKACHn* 187

son is. The character here given of false teachers,
or goorooe, is doubtless true to life,. when applied to
thousands of religious mendicants who deluge the
country. Formerly they went in companies of hun-
dreds, and sometimes of thousands, and devastated the
country like a cloud of locusts. When they came
to a village they demanded whatever they chose, and
resorted to violence if it were not given. The prac-
tice here alluded to of saying muntros in the ear, is
very common, and is regarded as very efficacious.

"Marks of a true Teacher. — (Gooboo.)

" A gooroo should be learned in the Scriptures, a
wise and skillful teacher, and versed in all sorts of
learning. Casting off the pride of human wisdom, he
should delight in the commands of God. He should
turn his back on the wealth, or the wife of his neigh-
bor, and should never speak of the faults or the de-
fects of others. He is sacredly bound to be discreet,
merciful, and benevolent As the sun enlightens,
and blesses all around, so ought his beneficence and
wsdom to impart instruction and happiness. Hav-
ing secured his own salvation, he should seek the
salvation of all about him. He should make hi?
disciples holy. In honor and dishonor he should be
the same. Should a disciple, whom he has taught
with much care, forsake him and go to another
teacher, he should not indulge his mind in angry

or unbecoming feeling. Should the people revile

IS*

188 * cBAMAcnuamca

and stone him, he ought to cast before him the .shield
of forgiveness, and not allow hatred or revenge to
arise. His love to his disciples should be like love
to a brother. A gooroo should never take a crooked
step, or throw a stumbling-block in the way of his
disciples. Knowing this, that the visible universe
is transitory, but the spiritual world is eternal, he
should keep himself from all hurtful passions, and
fix his mind on heavenly things. If fortune smiles,
or if in a moment all is dashed to the ground, his
mind is neither elated with joy, nor depressed with
sorrow. The ant and the universe, the mighty and
the mean, the king and the beggar, are alike. The
image of the sun appears the same, whether its rays
fall into a large or a small vessel of water. He is a
true gooroo, who, in all his conversation and inter-
course with the world, never forgets his station and
character, nor loves disputes or useless controversy.
The great and the rich of the earth do him honor ;
but he regards not their praise, and seeks not to be
called great. To flatter the great and despise the
low, he knows not. Whether a man be rich or poor
he regards it not. He is at peace with himself, de-
lights in the worship of God, and loves the society
of the righteous. Adorned with these marks he be-
comes a mighty and a complete gooroo. Whoever
does not bear about him these marks, has no claim
to the qualities of a gooroo. Such a one is false at
heart : keep not his company. There is no wisdom

OF A PAIS* TEACHES. 199

in him. As the lizard runs from - place to place,
stretching out his neck to spy out every object about
him. so the hypocritical goftroo saunters from village
to village, to make a show of his sanctity, and to an-
swer his own carnal purposes.* They reproach all
good men, and teach for the word of God the pre-
cepts of man. Th£y decoy the simple from the
right way, and, pretending they know every thing,
teach the people that first of all they should worship
them. Whomsoever they happen to meet, they ac-
cost as their disciple, and strive to draw him after
them. Like the gabbling of a drunkard, they prate
out unmeaning muntras (charms or incantations) into

* The impositions practised by those religious mendicants, and by
others assuming their garb and habits, are wonderful ; and only show
more strikingly the wretchedness of a superstitious nation. .Under
the semblance of great sanctity and self-denial, or in the practice of
severe penance, these vagrants wander about from village to village,
and make all things, as far as possible, subservient to themselves.
This they often do in no small degree ; for the deluded people believa
there is great merit in feeding them. Hence they supply their wants
while they remain, and give them money to carry away. These de-
votees go on long pilgrimages, begging their way for thousands of
miles, and are, perhaps, at the same time engaged in some profitable
traffic in precious metals or Cashmere shawls. The latter they pro-
cure very cheap, at Cashmere, and the former in Northern India, and
manage to carry them among their rags so as to be unsuspected.
They sell these at an enormous profit. These arch hypocrites have
been found dead by the road, or at some place far from home, and,
on examination, their tattered, dirty ungurka has been 'found to be
quilted full of gold mohurs, a coin of the value of fifteen rupees, or
more than se'ven dollars. The finest portion of the city of Poona,
which is called Goosawqepoor, was built by these beggars. They
are generally called Gosawees. A Brahmun whom I nave this, mo-
ment consulted on the subject, says the circumstance of a Gosa-
wee's being rich or poor, has no influence on the people in respect to
'giving them in chanty; they regard only their M moral greatness."*

Natives have formerly, and no doubt do at the present day, as-
sume the garb and habits of the Gosawee, for a still worse purpose
than to extort charity. The thie^ the highway robber, the assassin.

140 U tST E T JC HOWl

the ear, but ensnare their disciples by their fair words,
and threaten them with curses if they do not wor-
ship them. They say <-we are wise, and freed from
all earthly pollution, and regulate all our actions by
the shastras.' They sometimes appear meek ; again
they are full of lust and anger. Tbey.say c we are
in the way of salvation,' but they know not God,
They put on a false semblance of virtue, while the
deadly disease within is unhealed."

Babajee during the last months of his life had
been in the habit of writing abhungu, and other
poetical pieces, in which he imitated the style of
composition, and the manner of delivering instruc-
tion which is practised among the Brahmuns. The
abhungu is a metrical composition, in praise of the
Deity, and adopted to the sing-song tone in which
die natives recite the shastras, or rehearse traditions,
legends, and the like.

As this practice is so common, and so well

the spy and traitor, mil in their tarn, have been known to b e smear
their hair and bodies with ashes, daub their faces with ochre, doff
their ordinary apparel, and pat on the copperas-colored cloth of the
Gosawee. They sally forth with the stair in hand, a bell, a string of
beads, a necklace of shells, a cocoa-nut or gourd-shell to receive alms,
and their besmeared hair flying in the wind. Thus decorated the
pretended Gosawee goes forth, sometimes braying like an ass, some-
times bowling like a jackall, and enters houses, spying out its riches,
and its defence, and reports to the head of the banditti to which he
belongs. And, in like manner they accomplish any dark deed of rob-
bery or murder which they wish. Captain Mackintosh mentions in
his history of the lawless marauders, of, the Deckan, called Ramoo-
eees, that this is their most common resource for ascertaining the
amount of property in any given place, or the means by which h
could be obtained. An arch fellow, in toe garb of a gosawee, would
bring Comajee, their chief; an account of any treasure which was
to be moved, and an estimate of its value, See Chap. XV. Part U.

IK UMEftlT VftBSB. 141

• ■

adapted to convey instruction to the native, in a
manner which will interest him, it is, undoubtedly,
an important desideratum to be able to turn this to
good account. It is not, however, likely to be done
with effect, except by a learned native. The foreign*
er*s imitation of it would be so remote and barba*
rous, that the people would scarcely recognise it,
As Christianity advances in India, this kind of com-
position will not unlikely be adopted as a channel
for communicating religious truth ; and it will at
the same time furnish, perhaps, the only proper sub-
stitute for the bawdy songs, stories, and legends,
which soLimteh abound among the natives. They
have so long cherished the propensity to recite and
listen to these — the habit is so common and invete-
rate—that converts to Christianity, unless they are
famished with a substitute, will almost inevitably
be corrupted by them. Babajee had not overlooked
this principle in human nature. Whether the more
effectual edification of his people was the motive
which moved him, in the first instance, to adopt this
mode of composition ; or whether it originated from
feeling a vacuity in his own mind, arising from the
force of habit, is uncertain. He recited these hymns
(as I may as well call them) to his more intimate
friends, and to small circles of the people ; used
them at family devotion in his own house; and,
when unoccupied, he was almost continually sing-
ing them. I shall here add a few specimens, with-

142 ww) » mm t

oat any attempt to exhibit die measure, or the style
of tha original, bat only to couvey the thoughts of
the writer. Oar English translation of the Psalms
of the "sweet singer of Israel," give us scarcely any
idea of the beauty of the original Hebrew poetry.
So, comparing small things with great, the follow-
ing translation conveys but a slight notion of the
original.

rntrr btmn.
WHO IS JESUS!

Jesus m the King of aunts; Jesus is the support of the soul;

Jesus is my God. In heaven or in earth there is no other

Saviour.
He is the ornament and delight of hia saints ; a terror to the

wicked ; pardon to the penitent ; and hie tender mercies

are oyer all.
Jam is an ocean of happiness ; a aea of love ; a fan mountain

which cannot be moved.
Ha iathe guide and protector of hia people; an inexhaustible

fountain in the house of hia saints.

SSCOND HYMN.

CONFESSION.

In vain waa my life; my days went to naught when I did not
worship thee, O I my Saviour.

n» juTiovm. lit

I squandered my substance in sin ; Tain and Tile wen all my

offerings to strange gods.
In Tain liave I called this or that ay own; I have thro* nr/

neck in a snare, and there was none to deliver.
When I turned my back on the righteous, I incensed a Holy

God, and deprived myself of the gracious fruits of his

Spirit.

Who, and what 1 was, and whither tending, I knew not ; all

my penances and oblations were Tain,
helpless, worthless, and undone, my soul shall cleave to my

Redeemer. This mortal, wonderful body, will soon perish.
Who csa understand the subtlety of Death! He smites, he.

casts into the grave, and gluts his vengeance,
I*! this vain world I leave; though lost, I am found ; I am

saved in Christ, the sinner's friend.

THE SAVIOUR.

Surely Christ is our father, our Mother, our Brother.

Fountain of mercy, blessed Jesus, speedily fhon reforest the
weary and afflicted.

Thou hast saved me through Grace; what shall I render thee!
I have nothing to offer.

Lover of the humble 1 Thou hast freely saved me ! Grant
me what is fit; do with me as thou wilt.

Envy, anger, and lust, like flames, consume us ; disease, sor-
row, and death are the portion of our cup.

Therefore will I continually call on thee, thou fountain of Mer-
cy, blessed Jesus.

144 CHRIST •UB FRIEND.

Manifest thyself to my soul ; for I will seek thee with my
whole heart.

receive me, O ! thou ftiend of saint* ! deliver me m
thy great mercy !

rOURTH HYMft.

CHRIST A FATHER AND A FRIEND.

Christ is the Father of the fatherless, the mighty God, the

Lord of all.
Like a kind father, he inclines his ear and hears when his sup-
pliant children cry.
He knows their thoughts ; He sees their wants ; His hand is

near. In life, in death, adore the Saviour God.
He who looks to Him with undivided heart, shall find honor,

peace, and happiness.
Let all the people worship and adore Him ! how vain, how vile

to worship other gods, the creatures of His hand !
Behold the man consumed by a hundred desires ! Can gold,

or pride, or lust procure him peace and pardon 1 But I

will cling to Jesus.
Tell 'me, O ! ye people, how a man pan be clean in the sight

of God ! I have searched your shastras ; I have tried

your gods ; but, alas ! in vain 1 Come ye to Jesus ; He

k the fountain.

■** LA«r bats . HB

CHAPTER Till.

^ho latter period of hie life— labor* more leelonsljr— grows in grace.
—The value of native assistants.— Organization of the Church.—
Babaiee elected eider. — Moral sodetv— its rales. — His sickness)
and death.— Reflection*.— A yoke to Christiana— to young men.—
A prayer.

But I must draw to a close — the days of our be-
loved disciple were numbered. Too soon for us —
too soon for his poor countrymen, be wis called
away to a higher and a holier work, nearer to his
redeeming God. The sun t which rose so clearly,
and shone so brightly, was soon to set. It set with-
out a cloud. But for our fond hopes that the Master
of the vineyard would spare a laborer, who, in our
estimation, Was so important to the furtherance of
the gospel among the heathen, we should have in-
dulged a presentiment that he was preparing for a
speedy exit, from a state of labor and suffering, to a
-state of rest and glory. During three or four months
previous to his death, he had been more than usu-
ally zealous for the conversion of his people, more
exclusively devoted to his labors, and more elevated
and uniform* in his religious affections. His views
of Christianity seemed daily to become enlarged,
and his benevolence more extensive. He now beau-
tifully exemplified the diffusive character of our

blessed religion. His love became more ardent, his
faith drew nearer and nearer to reality, and his hope
to fruition. During this period, he indulged the
most sanguine hopes that the conversion of India was
near.

But we must review this period a>ore particular-
ly. Hi* labors with the. peppie of the poor asylum,
were almost ineessant. He read to them the Scrip-
tures, explained them, repeated verse by verse to
those who were blind, that they might treasure up in
their hearts, portions of the word of God — taught
them from room to room, and prayed with them in
private. His more pyblic instructions beeame move
impassioned and pointed ; jus private controversies,
with the people of his own caste, were more earnest
and solemn ; and, in all things, he labored Kke a
man who had much to do in a short time. We had,
at this period, several persons who had asked bap-
tism, and were regarded by us, as inquirers after the
truth. Though a little too credulous in fair profes-
sions, he generally showed a discrimination and
judgment in testing the character of such, and in
imparting suitable instructions, which would do
honor to many religious teachers, of far more expe-
rience in the Christian cause. ' Three of these can-
didates were baptized, and received into lomnrankm
with the church in Nov. 1832, and four others, in
the February following. On both of these occa-
sions, Babajee seemed to partake of the feeling of

LAVt LABOttl* 147

good old Simeon, whoa he said, "Mine eyes have
seen thy salvation, Lord, now lettest thou thy ser-
vant depart in peace.' 9

Although four of these were Mhars, (whose
shadow, if it so much as pass over a Brahmun, pol-
lutes him,) and two others were diseased with lepro-
sy,* Bbbajee gave them the most cordial reception,
and did not manifest the least scruple to the receiv-
ing of them to the full and immediate participation
of the Lord's Supper. This involved a more com-
plete renunciation of caste than he had previously
been called on to make.t

During the month of December, 1832, Babajee
asd myself made two preaching tours to the south-
ward from Ahmednugguf , where we visited about
twenty villages. And in February, we made our
last tour together, on which we visited twenty-two
villages to the east and north of Ahmednuggur. On

• The reader may not be aware that lepers, as soon as they ap-
pear to be past cure, become outcasts. Thev are disinherited ana east
out by their relatives, and almost unavoidably become great sufferers
for the want of the most common comforts of life* to say nothing of
the bodily pains which they suffer on account of the disease. Nor
are lepers the only persons who are cruelly treated on account of in-
firmity or disease; " The following persons are excluded from in-
heritance, unless the defect can be removed by medicaments or pen-
ance : any one who is blind, deaf; dumb, unable to walk, leprous,
impotent, insane, idiotic, &c. — Steele's Law and Custom of Caste.

tit may 'not be known to the friends of missions hi general, that
the usages of caste, in some parts of India, have been respected among
native converts to a most ruinous extent. Missionaries once in-
dulged their converts in this respect to the great grief of those who
now labor in those fields. Caste has been allowed to appear at the
communion table. See an account of this lamentable practice in the
latter part of Chap. XI. Part. II.

146 BABAJBl'f LAST LAB0B8*

these tours Babajee's labors were most zealous and
indefatigable. His instructions now appeared more
tender, and at the same time more pointed and
searching; his prayers more fervent; his hopes
more elevated and sanguine, but completely baqpd
on the Divine promises ; and his anxieties more in-
tense for the salvation of his countrymen. He always
bore an important share of the labor of addressing
the people in public ; but I here speak more particu-
larly of his more private labors ; of his private con-
versations with little groups of natives, which he
always managed to gather about him. He explain-
ed to them the nature of the Christian religion, re-
moved their objections, and pointed out to them the
absurdities, and the errors of their own system. The
whole lifetime of a foreigner would be insufficient
to qualify him to perform this part of missionary
labor, so ably as a pious, intelligent Brahmun can
do ; so well, I may say, as Babajee did. This does
not merely suppose a competent acquaintance with
their language, but it supposes a knowledge of every
thing which makes a Hindoo differ in habits of
thinking, in modes of reasoning, in prejudices, super-
stitions, maxims, or customs, from a foreigner.
Foreigners, missionaries from Christian lands, we
must have, in order to prepare the instruments who
are to accomplish the great work, which remains to
be done in India ; but the instruments themselves
must be natives ofthe country.

the lamoir emcH, 149

The last occasion in which I was united with
Babajee, for the furtherance of the gospel, was the
organization of our mission church on the 4th March,
1833. I was then called away to MahabuHshwur
Hills. The organizing of the church was a solemn
and interesting occasion. Babajee had been pro*
posed, and unanimously chosen an elder of the
church, and was this day ordained to the office.
His whole department on this occasion appeared
the index of a sincere heart, and bespoke a becom-
ing sense of responsibility. His humility, his gen*
tleness, his solemnity, andHhe tears of joy and pen*
itence which rolled down his cheeks as he knelt
before u^ furnished the most pleasing evidence that
Divine grace can humble the proud Brahmun, and
warm his cold heart ; that it can infuse sensibility
into his unfeeling breast, and implant the matchless
graces of love, friendship, and benevolence, in a soil
where ones flourished nothing but the rank weeds of
avarice, hatred, selfishness, and pri&e.

At the close of this interesting transaction we
proceeded to form ourselves in a society, for the
regulation of our moral conduct. An account of
this proceeding may be seen in the sixth Chapter,
of the second Part, of this volume.

The rtdes df this Society, which were unani-
mously adopted by the Church, were the production
of Babajee's pen ; and it may therefore be gratifying
to the reader to be famished with a. transcript of the

13*

1M mootjltioih

document. It is entirely Babajeefe. He drew up the
articles, according to what, in his judgment, the cir-
cumstances of the converts required ; and I saw no
good reason for alteration or suggestion* The read-
er may do more than gratify hjs curiosity ; he may
learn from it what are the vices and the temptations
into which native converts are liable to fall ; and
consequently, what cautions they need, and what
vigilance and care they require, of those who watch
over them ; and what wisdom and prudence, and pa-
tience, missionaries need in order to guide these new-
born babes through all the dangers of their way.
The practices, customs, and vices which are alluded
to in the following articles, are so common, and the
temptation, under which native converts are, on
account of their education and habits, of being se-
duced by them, is so strong, that nothing but the
restraining grace of God can keep them from falling
into sins, which, in a Christian land, are denounced
by the common sentiments of decency.

The Articles are headed by an " acknowledg-
ment of the Christian Scriptures, as the grand rule
of action."

1. "We will not ourselves use, or give to others, ardent
■pints, ezeept as a medicine. ; ., wr ; , r f \

3. "We will not ourselves engage in, or. goto witness
heathen sports, shows, jugglers' feats, etc.

3. " We will not indulge in buffoonery, jeering, and deri-
sion of others,

4. "We will not observe heathen

07 ▲ MORAL 0OCI9TT* 151

5. M We will not regard lucky and unlucky days.

6. "We wttl not sing, or hear lascivious songs.

7. u Wo will not sit and tell, or hear, frivolous and obscene
stories.

8. M We win not use abusive or obscene language.

9. M We win observe no Hindoo custom which is opposed
to the Christian Scriptures.

10. « We win not, through indolence, sit idle, but will be
engaged In some useful employment.

11. " We win not do or say any thing against the Church
of Christ.

12. M Without good reason we win not wander about from
place to place, nor engage in pastimes.

13. ** We wiU not, through slothfolness, remain at home on*
the Sabbath, and neglect to hear the word of God.

14. " If engaged in the capacity of servants, we will not
practise those customs of servants which are contrary to the
New Testament.

15. u We will, in a becoming manner, administer to the

16. ** We wnl wash, clothe, and bury the dead.

17. u We wfll not use harsh or unkind language.

18. "Drugs which turn the head, as opium, bang,* etc. we
win not use.

19. " We will not swear by God, or Jesus Christ

20. " We win not give others bad instruction, or advice.

21. "For the recovery of our diseases we wttl not use the
nrantru, or the tuntra.f

22. " We win not practise according to heathen usages,
in regard to births, marriages, and funerals.

• Bang— an intoxicating drag, extracted from hemp.

t Incantations and mystic ceremonies, much practised by Brah-
man*.

lM Hit JUL AMD MTJffiffr

38. M WewifiMtgiiri>]*wpk?aiygaiMef6lalic^
24. "We will* era *»>»•*.»

From this time to his death, Babajee, with the
assistance of Dajaba, carried on the qperaturas of the
rnimrion, under the direction of Mr* Boggs, who had
recently arrived in the country* ftnd oettW bot, of
course/afTord any direct assistance in the Mahfatha
services. He conducted our morning and evening
service, superintended two schools, and was the
overseer ef the poor asylum* In addition. to the in-
creased labors and com which my absence threw
on him, he tindeftook to instruct Mr. B. in the Mah-
ratha language. He was perfectly voluntary in
these services. The labors of the mission would
have been curtailed had he not desired that they
should remain as they were. His sand, no doubt,
hurried him on beyond the limits of his strength 5
and it is not improbable that his increased labors pre-
disposed him to an attack of the cholera. He was
naturally of a feeble constitution, and had been but
little accustomed to hard study and severe exertion.
In several imrtairees, and once in particular, during
our !a& preaching tour, ha had been «etetd *kh a
severe complaint in his bowels. Thfe Was, dbtitfr
less, occasioned by exposure to the heat, and over
exertion^

The warm weather had already commenced, and
die seaton wad unusually hot He pursued his
labors with the same diligence as he had done. His

babusb's death. 159

xeal remained unabated. The spirit was indeed
willing; bat alas! how soon we were convinced,
the flesh was weak. Never were our expectations
more raised, never did we regard his labors so es-
sential to the successful prosecution of our work.
But the great Head of the church had otherwise de-
termined. We were to be rebuked for fixing our
hopes on man for success. Babajee was not neces-
sary to the accomplishment of God's purposes in
India, and he removed him to a higher and a hap-
pier sphere of action. While in the midst of his
work, and when we regarded him as peculiarly
qualified for increased usefulness, he was seized with
the cholera. He survived the first attack, and at-
tempted to return to his work ; but the scourge re-
appeared after a few days, and executed its dread ,
commission, and left our afflicted mission again to
mourn.

His end, as far as we know, was peace. No
member of the mission who could speak his language,
or understand what he said, was with him during
his illness, or at the time of his death. Some days be-
fore his death he lost the use of his speech, and soon
after was bereft of reason. It does not appear that
any apprehensions were entertained, either by him-
self, or others, that his end was so near, till he be-
came unable to converse. His wife, and others who
were with him, say, that, up to the time of his deli-
rium' he uniformly expressed an entire confidence in

1M HOW

his Redeemer, and an unshaken hope of salvation
bj his blood. He died on the 17th April, 1833, aged
forty-two ; lamented by the missioa, deeply lament-
ed by his bereaved widow, lamented by the church*
by the people of the poor-house, and respected, as far
as a person in his circumstances could be, by alL
He was highly esteemed by the lower orders of the
people; and the Brah&uns, while they no doubt
Most cordially hated him for having abandoned the
religion of his fathers, and not only become a pro-
selyte to another religion, but a teacher of it, eould
not but respect him as a clever man, and an honesty
upright, and sincere outcast They had, no doabt*
many a time, predicted bis death as a judgment
which the angry gods would inflict on him for his
impiety, in forsaking the religion of their ancient or-
der ; and they nowynot unlikely, sought to turn the
present occasion to their own account, and to rivet
the fetters on their willing slaves. The event had
verified the prediction, and they could now challenge
the confidence of the people, and at the same time to
hold out to all apostates from Brahmunism, an ex-
ample of terror. But why do the heathen rage, and
the people imagine a vain thing ? He that sitteth in
the heavens shall laugh : the Lord shall have, diem
in dor is ton. He will speak to them in his wrath,>
and vex them in his sore dispfeasnire. While the
holy hill of Zton shall arise and the glory of her
shall fill the whote earth. Come, Lord Jesus,

eeiqeqiiickly. Dispel the dark deads which now
hater over the heathen nations, take thine " inhertt-
WMMf ami possets <* the uttermost parte of the
«aftb."

But stop, pious reader, and, as" you drop a tear
over the little spot of earth where repose the bones
<rf Babajee^ reflect fer whom y6u mourn. Yen
«Kuun not fer a he*o who defied die thunder? of
war— wbo was 'great only in the destruction of his
-species, and who shall lire oatyin the history of
battles and martial triumphs. Yon n*oum net for
a statesman, whose marbled monument teBs you how
gpeat he was — how little he is. Yon mourn not fer
a poet, a sage, or an orator. You mourn for a Hin-
doo Brahman— fer a despised disciple of Jesus
Christ, in a dark corner of the earth, whom the
world knew not, and of whom the world wfcs not
worthy. You mourn fer a hero who dared deflp
more than the warlike hosts of earths- who dared
contend, at the sacrifice <rf every earthly tie, with a
contemptuous priesthood and a superstitious people—
who dared confront a sneering world. And why
Should you lament fer him ? He is one, among the
millions who have, within the brief period of your
remembrance, gone from that benighted land into
the world of spirits. He exchanged a state of perse-
oution and of suffering, for a state of joy and ever-
lasting blessedness. They have gone from a land of
-wretchedness and abominations, to meet the final

■ISfJUUOVS DtSFXHSATSOK.

doom of the idolater. We lament not his happy ex-
change. We mourn that he is so soon snatched
away from the harvest which we had hoped he was
to gather in. Bat we bow, for so, Father, it seemed
good in thy sight*

But a voice comes from Babajee's grave, which
we would do well to hear. I have alluded to the
importance, to the seemingly indispensable neces-
sity of native laborers, in order to carry: on any ex-
tensive operations in India. I have dwelt sufficient-
ly on the important services which Babajee render-
ed to the mission, during his short Christian career.
But there is another aspect in which we ought here
to view this subject. I mean the mysterious na"
tore of the dispensation. Babajee was an extraor-
dinary instance of piety and zeal. He was brought
into the kingdom of his Redeemer at a late period
of his life. His whole soul seemed intent on a sin-
gle object — professedly the grand object of every
disciple of Christ Zeal for the house of God con-
sumed him. He was a light to the Gentiles. He
emerged from the dark abyss of idolatry. He shone
brightly for a little space. Many saw the light, and
a few were guided by its refulgence to the Sun of
Righteousness. This light was extinguished. It
sunk not again into the abyss, but ascended, burn-
ing brighter and brighter, till it was lost in the inex-
tinguishable splendor of .the " perfect day."

Eight short months measured his Christian ex-

ho* wtttittr* x cjtf&k. 1W

istence. Brit why was his course so short i Ood
so determined, and we respond, Father, thy will be
done. But why — I ask with deference — why, does
Odd deal with us in this manner ? Why did he
single oot Babajee from the myriads of that cor-
rupt priesthood, and convert hint, and fill his heart
with benevolence, and zeal, and piety, and permit
him to commence a useful career, and so highly
raise our hopes ; and, theft, almost at the outset, dash
those hopes to the ground ? Why does he open such
an unbounded field for missionary operations in In-
dia, and permit his people to send laborers to that
harvest, and then leave them to contend with such
difficulties in reference to the heathen themselves, to
struggle with so much ill health, to be removed, and
so often to sicken and die ? Why does he give us so
little apparent success, so few converts; why so
much defection among these converts ? Why does
he seem to withhold from .that field the extensive
influences of his blessed Spirit ? We may resolve all
these questions in his sovereign will. We may say
" it is to try the faith of his people," to test our fidel-
ity and perseverance in his service. But there may
be reasons with which we, as instruments, are more
personally and more awfully concerned. God may
be displeased. The cloud which hangs over that
country, may be the cloud of his indignation. The
subject demands a most solemn investigation. There
may be awful guilt somewhere.

158 TBS BBSPOMSXBlUTr

To ascertain where this guilt lies, we must first
ascertain where lies the responsibility. The com-
mand has gone out that the work must be done.
Every disciple of Jesus Christ has recognised, in
the general terms of his covenant vows, that this
command is enjoined on him ; and that he will bear
the burden of the work to the extent of his ability.
Here then is responsibility. It lies, as a whole, on
the entire body of Christ's disciples. It lies, indivi-
dually, on each, and on every member of Christ's
church. If this responsibility be not sustained ; if
every professed follower of Jesus Christ do not put
forth his efforts according to " that which be hath ;"
if he do not obey a most unequivocal command, and
do not fulfil the vow, which he knowingly and vol-
untarily made, what reason has he to expect that
God will smile on his enterprise ? While God works,
as he has said he will work, by human instrumen-
tality, how can he expect that missions will prosper,
that missionaries will be preserved, and that God
will extensively pour out his Spirit, and remove all
those mountains-like obstacles which the perversity
of the heathen's heart has set up against the con-
version of that quarter of the globe ?

My Christian friends, you must measure your
expectations of the success of missions among the
heathen by your own zeal and devotedness to the
cause. Your own heart \s the index. The amount
of piety there, the amount of genuine love to God in

OF THE CHRISTIAN CHTTBCH. 150

your church, of devotedness to Christ throughout
the churches of the land, of self-devotion in her
ministers, of interest in the monthly prayer meeting
for the general diffusion of the Holy Spirit, will tell
you how much reason you have to hope that the
Hindoos, or any large portions of the heathen world,
will soon be converted. Weigh yourselves in this
balance, and if you be found wanting, cease to mur-
mur; cease to reproach the almoners of your bounty
to the heathen, humble yourselves in the dust,
quicken your diligence, cry for help and begin anew.

But I do not mean to exonerate your mission-
aries. They bear with you an individual responsi-
bility. They are your covenanted servants; and
bound by this compact to be faithful to the confidence
which you have reposed in them. They may not
have sustained their responsibility ; and they may
not have acquitted themselves well as your repre-
sentatives. They may be chargeable with a share
of the guilt. They are but men. Charge them
with a want of fidelity in the dispensing of the pre-
cious treasure which you have committed to them,
if they deserve it. Send out better men if you can ;
but know that you cannot throw off the responsi-
bility of this great work.

But comes there no voice from that consecrated
spot, to the " schools of the prophets ?" Yes ; I hear
it. I have already told you, that an increased burden
of labor devolved on Babajee a few weeks before his

1Q0 A VOICE FEGH XJIB I|UJ>

death. Tbe only efficient missionary bad been
compelled to leave the station on account of Ui
health; and the onjy remaining one was at that
time unable to labor among a people of a strange
tongue. Why did your predecessors suffer our num-
ber to become so reduced, that the temporary ab-
sence or failure of a single man must suspend 901
labors, or throw an insupportable burden on a pwr
native convert ? They knew our want* Appeals
lor more laborers at that station had been made! b^t
a few months previous to this very juncture. And
these appeals are now lying in your archives, then
little heeded, now forgotten. They sent us but a.
single ipan. He arrived, but late. He came to a
people of a hard speech, and could then only look
on, lament, in vain desire to labor, and return to his
books. Some of these very men, who then heard
the cry for help, and who ought to have gone to
India, may still be seeking some goodly place in
America. They may not be chaxgeable with the
calamity which befell us in consequence of their ne-
glect ; but they may, perhaps, be chargeable with a
dereliction in duty.

Do you reply, that if you had been candidates
for the sacred office at that time, you would have
helped us ? The case j§ not altered. Similar diffi-
culties are encountered, similar losses are sustained
at the. present day, and the same reasons exist
why you should go to the help of your brethren in

TO THEOLOGICAL STUDENT*. 161

India. You have now before you, at least one dis-
astrous result of that tardy, hesitating spirit, which
has so long spell-bound the young men of our Theo-
logical Seminaries, when they have been called on
to make a decision as to their personal duty of en-
gaging in the work of foreign missions. The above
is probably not a solitary instance of a disastrous
result from the same cause. Pity then to your
brethren, who are laboring, fainting, struggling, fall-
ing, without comrades enough to carry them to their
untimely graves, pleads with you to come and help
them. Humanity pleads. The perishing condition
of the heathen pleads. Obligation to your Saviour
pleads ; God commands.

But we will linger no longer about the tomb of
our departed brother. Dust has returned to dust —
ashes to ashes. His spirit has returned to God who
gave it. His labors on earth are done ; his account
is closed ; he is singing the song of Moses and of the
Lamb. His body reposes under the wide spread-
ing branches of a tamarind tree. May the good seed
which he has sown, be watered by the dews of Di-
vine Grace, and vegetate, and spring up, and become
a great tree ; and, like the beautiful and ever-green
tamarind, may it take deep root, extend its branch-
es, blossom, and bear much fruit. May its leaves be
for the healing of that nation ; its fruit delight the
souls of many, and under its shadow may the wea-
ry pilgrims rest !

14*

1*9 MUKBB W BA3MWP

PRAYBR BT BABAJEK.*

u Thou self-existent God ! who art worthy to
bp adored by the whole Universe I I am a great
signer. I was bom in sin. My heart is naturally
full of lust, envy, pride, avarice, hypocrisy, and de-
ceit. My youth was spent in vanity, and my riper
years, in dissipation and lewdness. Old age ap-
proaches ; death is in his train. Without thy mer-
cy, O God 1 I must suffer everlasting punishment
in bell. *

« O Thou Purifier and Restorer of the Men ! I
am iallen. I am deserving of the eternal torments
of hell. I am like a broken vessel, only fit to be
cast out as useless. I ask, Merciful God ! the par-
don of my sins. I do not ask this on account of any
good works which I have done ; nor on account of
any righteousness of my own. I am fallen: Thou
art the Restorer. For to restore such as I am, Thou
dytet assume a human body. In the person of the
Son, Thou didst become incarnate, and didst yield
up thy lift on the cross, to atone for sin. By his
perfect obedience to the law, in onr stead, he did
work out, for us, an everlasting righteousness. I
come to thee, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Sa-

* This prayer was written out, by Babaiee, a few weeks before,
his death, and will here t ery appropriately close his memoir. It
may be taken as a fair specimen of his confessions and supplications
at a Throne of Grace* as far as related to his own spiritual wants.
His supplications for others, and for the cause of Christ ia
are equally ardent and simple.

PBAYKB BY BABAJBB. 168

viour, and implore of thee, the pardon of all my sins.
Hare mercy on me. Infuse into my heart thy Ho*
ly Spirit, and cleanse me from sin. Eradicate every
sinful propensity, and ingraft in my heart the love-
ly graces of humility, gentleness, compassion, joy,
peace, heavenly wisdom, and a holy disposition.
Deliver me from sinful thoughts, and imaginations;
from anger, hypocrisy, pride, covetousness, and world-
ly infatuation ; and enable me to keep thy command-
ments, and to worship thee m sincerity. Lead me
in the right way ; teach me thy word ; and enable
me to preach the Gospel of thy Son, with boldness.
I can do nothing without thy assistance. I can
neither worship thee, nor pray to thee, nor praise,
thank, nor glorify thee aright. Therefore, O thou
Father of the fatherless, help me, save me— cast me
hot off, for to whom else shall I go ?

" Adorable God ! may this body of sin be cruci-
fied with the body of Christ. May he dwell in me,
and I in him. Soon my soul must leave this earth-
ly tabernacle \ May it then, through Jesus Christ,
go to thee ; there to worship thee for ever. In thy
service, will be all my joy and happiness. All this,
I ask, in the name of Jesus Christ May I praise
and glorify thee for ever and ever : Amen."

END OF THE MEMOIR.

PART II

CONT AI N ING

ILLUSTRATIONS OP THE DOMESTIC HABITS,
MANNERS, CUSTOMS, AND SUPERSTITIONS
OF THE HINDOOS ; A SKETCH OF THE
DECKAN, AND NOTICES OF INDIA IN GENE.
RAL ; AND AN ACCOUNT OF THE AMERICAN
MISSION, IN WESTERN INDIA.

•J

PART II.

CHAPTER I.

Little known of India in America.— Indian History divided into three
periods— Little known of taw first period.— Nature of their His-
torical records.— How the Hindoos divide time.— Conquest by the
Mahomedans— -by different nations of Europe— by the English.

Since completing the preceding Memoir, I have
feared my labor would, in part, be lost, if the read*
er be not more fully introduced to the country and
kindred of the subject of the Memoir. The inter-
course between India and America is so limited, and
pf such a natttre, as almost to preclude the people
of .the latter from, possessing any very minute know-
ledge of the former. They have but a vague know-
ledge of the country ; and, in general, a still more
vague and incorrect knowledge of the people. Mis-
sionary reports, journals, and letters, have done
what, in this way, could be done. But the hetero-
geneous naftia of information which has thus been
communflEd, lies scattered through the numerous
volumes, and the innumerable pamphlets and news-

168 1XDUH BISTORT.

papers, which the religious press has furnished for
the last twenty years ; and the American public are
scarcely the wiser for the varied stores of information
which have so often been exported from this inter-
esting country. It is not possible for me, wholly, to
supply the deficiency. I have neither the leisure nor
the means of supplying, in one connected form, so
much valuable information as has heretofore been
communicated, in detached portions, by my prede-
cessors, and overlooked or forgotten by the good peo-
ple in America.

What I bete principally propose, for the better uri-
defstanffisgof the preceding Memoir, is, to give a brief
account, such as I have been able to collect, of the
Deckanf, together with a short history of our Mission
at Ahmednuggur.

In executing the first part of this plan, I shall be
excused for detaining the reader a few moments,
with a few remarks on India in general. Indian
history may be divided into three general periods :
the period before die conquests of the Mahomedans ;
the period of the reign of the Mahomedans ; and this
period since the nations of Europe have held large
possessions in India.

The history of the first period is so enveloped
in the mists of fable, that it is difficult to distinguish
troth from fiction. Still, I do not think j^is true,
that no tmces of the history of this ancflt people
have comedown w ofc The ffindetf himself fur-

•

i- •

* ' ' xavb.opi'bs JUMmoxrs. 169

nishes us a toy by which we may unlock the mystic
door, tod cull frttoi the legendary store a few genuine
Materials. The Hindoo invests every thing with
the marvelous. Truth and honesty are too tame
«nd inripid. To say that some renowned kinff
lived a thousand years ago, made eoqquests, csta-
Mbheda great eApire, administered his government
with justice, protectedHmduoism, fe& tfe BrataDuns,

^nbcrfrodeMr in charity to the poor, reigned thirty years,
and. died at the age of eiity, would be too -Insipid a.

, taU to ottiHnand the perusal xtf an^aae. The hero,
therefore, must be invested with a divine character;
ftpiust be said he was an iocaraatkm of die Deity j
that he flourished two millions of years ago ; that he
warm stitare like ihe cocoa-nut ttee ; that he lived
a thousand years; fought with the giants; imprisoned
thirty-three millions of gods; tore mountains front
Aeie foo^dafciooalo'construct a bridge over the sea;
gate tycfa of rupees to the Brahmuai; became a
tetter to Indra, the km£*f the gods, on account of
Mtfy ie q r ; paid eourt to the sen, and received from
him some invaluable boon ; aakl, like Vitgift Hew^
jUeronrted into the irifcrnaT regions, and vifted the
fllpnes id iris lathers.* The Hindoos though tht
Meet incredulous about historical truth, feeh ^e

. *me**T in believing snch kind of history. Such
*» bfs habit* ttf thinking, and such the character of
hhaaejned books, 4ha* he seems quite incapable of

* + Jfach if thehietofT of tfc« gn*i king Vicram; of central ladit;

» i

• #

170 «m totr* tmm.

Meting* the Hiked troth; Hem* feu, that. the
accounts which the ll iideo e havevtrf ithe loeatiedj
ejf the deluge, of the snbseifneit peeling ef the
earth, and of the rise told progress of the* iadlata
empire, are so wrapped op hi. the most menUUm
fiotiena, that, at first view, we are readytoaay? flaw*
in not a particle of tmth to be fonnd'tir I MW a rtiott
hedropeneous mass of rubbish.

The Hindoos divide t|me into four peeieVs^witirii -
are called yoogs : the last of which periiHIay |&e
<me in which' we are now hrHjg,) is catted theltales
yoeg; the present year, (I8S5,) is the 4930th yedr
of this yoog. What accursed atncmg fcnortafe4n*i££
the three first periods of the world) we knoei ne* ; ato
records remain. TrttdUkm hem steps m;te JMafaX
Jmd pretends to supply the •• deficiency. We t s al f u»
however, little front her, 'except that Tirtbe <anfl
troth predated in the first period^<aod MaHHsl
one hundred ttwsanfl years. : In <{i»seeeslft yuitas\
Only thiee parts of the creation otfcy*tif*lfe<%saftta*
of God, and: ton hred ten ttoosahd ^ye^folnl
the third period, haft the tmreatfcn fae^aantxeorrnp^
arid the agd ef mm was tarn** todth*toim&ym&i!
DUrin^ the last period, rt&n har depfartat tftuMii '<f
rectitude of hi* fkhera^only A fourth 'pfeitifregftflf
die dictates of God, nad human M (ememtmM^A
"hundred years* Tfee oataoaencement 'Oft fr hc -ftfadts
Yoog, it wilt be eeen* does not taferiattjr^tffcf ****
the Mosaic date of the portion. . t . . ;< *, ♦• '

»,

- . w

1TI

Xh**04*rf of** fiwt eito^i*!***, appeal*
**ra ufc* MabadBu*^ (at* Wt*a *pomi) to bwrft
fern &riabi*. This ;tree»t took pl«* mod aftaf
flN» cnn^pmnpn mate of the Katee^ypog, Kxishna and
^*0**P*Y ^i« bttddied years, la,***
feign, teaftusg is taid to. bane fltwrishad, and, tho

into^fata^, Then foHpvad ft
of sixteen or> etgHn dyqptie*. The
citepapa^ lliftJB a riq f w owe IriKt came dovm entire
tift. alp**, QQ6: kmdjrad and seventy yews betas*
Gturet^tohen it was dissolved by civil disclord aod
*l*r. Prioees and governors of different provinces
assumed the jqppaarane*of independent sovereigns,
fuid look the name .of emperors. Still, tfyere wqf
nttiir/^nmnia * regular succession of kings. In-
dtay though m longer united in one great empire^
toto*«ttf pow er&il ^r«i riclu No foreign invasion
taditthofttstgdher resources. If we may. judge from
^mmmM^iComfuttSi rniAluxnrieepf lift, vhichth*
^j^flnnqptrose feind, we must before tbat.Indifc
*sa» qnee a tan* <ttr*iei of Hfcavftny above aim**
*i*y, nation on the &ee t of the, earth* And may wia
n*t indulge the platting ,s**ppe*HiMi that she one*
ItMOffcAfeftd *fo*ed the Author of ber blessings?
AsMtfAtf langntftfoi India J thy present degradation*
'tUygittiU Thoaha$tW*lwatbe : Lord thy
Th<^>hirt;i^beartooi^tobL»i?aice, tool*

™ ^^^w.J*Ji^*» •^^IW ^^i^PB^BK^*Pin#*^Pw^P^^'J ^MH ^•^^ '^^P*'*%^'^H

• .

,'•».- .

IT* ran cmm m* " A »

FrfafcfrlicihM nm— loflod Ihnrij Aon hast tnwsd sniiVn
after other gofe to serve them ; and «B the cam*
jnronouDoed-against rebellious Israel have fallen on -
thee I <Thou art cursed in theeity and in ttoe fteti;
theu art cursed in thy basket aad thy;. store; *hou
art cursed in the fruit of thy body, ia the fruit oftfay*
flocks, and in thy landsf thou ait cursed when thou
oomest in, end when thou geest out I The Lord hsl
pent upon thee cursing, vexation, aadttebuke, m mil
that thou wouldst do ! The pestilence > shaves to
thee I The Lord has smitten thee with consuiript
tjoo, with fever, with extreme boning, and with the
sword, and with basting and mildew, and (hey will
pursue th^e till thou perish 1' ' .*

With the exception of the invasion of Ataxwder
the Great, three hundred and twenty-seventy ears
before Christ, India seems scarcely to have suffered
from foreign aggression, till about the year? of tha
Christian era 1000, when the Mahomedans titmn
Persia, first began, in good earnest, to make
east of the Indus. They came, they sav% they
quered. Nothing in modern times has equalled tha
ferocity ahd desperation of the first MafaQneda*
conquests in India. • Urged on by a madoatfafaiarib;
intoxicated whh the hope erf rich booty, and inspired
With the promise of beatitude4n paradise if they <ip|
fighting with the ipfidets, they pounced like tigera
upon their prey. A fertile country was left desolate;

«■_

*■ by ti* jromraw»iiiff. tW

<eni iiihMg cidfeSy freaps trf ruiiw ;-*»d rf vew fcact^
to their firfhere, flowed with the blood of their ooinv-
arymen> Palaces were burnt, temples pillaged, and
ifce>pabfccL works ofages destroyed i» a? day . Silver,
gold, jewels, precisoe atone*, were, neither oOoated

* nor woigfted, but estimated by die matind (twenty-
ejfktqpNib) or by camel leads, M y Knife dor not
^eemifiofitdotail. Suffice it to say hew, they were
eeoa^thfrlspdsef the land, and despots over the tift^
o&udin£ Hindoos, Ialamism became the national
ndtftott, and the only road tto peace or preferment.
The Hindoos from this hour became bondmen ant
•laves to- foreign • masters. Their chains have* been!

* riveted on them by as tw e oc a t o n of fconquerers, till
fre e d o m , patriotism, and nathmal virtae have-qafttf
dtappaatt&Jtom the land. Bat att the eakmtfcfetf
wfctchwereso ansparmgty teiieted by the infurialed'
ssal of the Mpsfean, were bat tfre beginning of a**i
raw to the deroted Hindoo. These wfcre' bat ; «he r
oamasoneMMnt^ of a> *arie*«of www and' rapines/
wtoafi we#et© taty waste the land, impoverish' thte*
oenatry, and drive t& the verge of desperation, a
opice prosparoua, and a comparatively hapjty people.
Tft carcass bad begtro to be earn? d fcd now ne*^
'flights j»f birds o# prey and passage, were atfraeted'
flo*n the western worHL '£ooti they were seen-
hovering over thefr pwjr. The Portuguese, the
Dated, the French, and the Engtish, have, ali'iti'

15*

their turn, aatu^thtir rapacity to tf^
natives of India. *

. I a void at present enter^g into any det»l of the
$memn$ whiok iave been adopted by these several
nations, to gain possessions in In<tta. «Tbe history
"of their unparalleled crimen violated treaties,
bloodshed, treachery and devastation," will standi re-
corded m the book of God'* unerring «i*tiiory»,aBil
cannot fail to be made manifest in, the day of dffine
mnbutioa^

Of the European nations who have abated in
<be plunder of India, pnd who tave, and*rte still*
hold possessions there* the English are fey far the
nsqpt .prominent . The power of tfie other European
nations has long si*ee been on the wane, and is jdowi
reduced to thegfrvertaaaenief a few smell province^
The dominion of the English extends from tht
Indus to China, and Jfrom the Hyuiityia mountain*
to $*pe Coaoroorin. Within, Jhjese extended* bono*
daries, thepre axe* it is true, several nation* who fancy >
theofslTes independent, and thejr atre,*a*l to be so*
Some of these ase termed allies, ##m independent,
and others d^pendfsnt (states. But ftey4t^ wjr.
HUlei except » name* and in the define of tfceiMter
pendenoe, Ttoey aje direotly q^ indkgptty eubfet; .
vient to the East India Qtmpany. Let them but
actj as if th$y tcwre independent stages, and they
W& so<?n r aw*ke ftojn their* pte*#ait delusion*

We have a specimen of tfiei* reaJ condition, in the
case of the Ra)* of Sattara. He fancies himself an
* mtepenfeit prince ; has an English Uesidmt placed
at his capital ; is- required to keep* tfp a specified
military farce) to be officered by Englishmen. This
is. what is calW i subsidised force. • The same
is. to jta found among all the- independent princes of
India. » The policy on the part of the invaders, in
imposing on their dependents this ' subsidised force,
is a consummate piece of worldly wisdom, and in well
underwood by the English* In this way they vir-
'fn*Uy secure the army of those who might becoaift
their opponents. They secnie the patromfcgfe for thq
meet lucrative offices in these ftates, which, in Bag*
land iaso higMy* valued, as to make this one of the
greatest advantages derived from their Eastern pbe-i
session*.* By allowing Jbese states* many of. which;
afemot fertikf; and but ; spaiefcly .peopled; t& goverri
themselves, they derive more adviprtagte than. they

* would be lifaely to teatim/ were they tp assume the
reins of government pvnr them. The Raja of fifet*:
tara, is not allowed to go out of bis own capital, or

• tosee*uniEnglishman,nof even an officer of his own
arihy, if he be an Englishman,, without permission
firom^t he Resident. The truth is, these prinoes only
retain* the 'shadow of psrwer ; and this will . vanish
vhen, the interest or the, will of the Bast India Com-
pufiy shall requite it.. The Residehfa are kings;
the tfrintes are vaseala. ■' . . ;

1ft

, The. p m n m in m of the Bngfob r in Iafea, age
s»n» aoMiaiv)*4taui is generally suppceed. Tbe»
toutiBim, in the manner Ibavedteribed, etobraoni
a popokukm-of .abort one hundred and fifty roiHiotWi
Their vast teatitories have, beiptoforef 1mm divided
into three portions, called Prtsideoetae, vix-. Be*
gal, Madras, and Bombay. A new Ptawkacy baa
recently been added, in the north of India, the capi*
talnf which hrAgra. Bach of these has its gov*
erooi. The Governor of Bengal m. the Gomrnot
General of all India; and the other Governors***
nboedinate tohim. .He enjoys an innmrnyanA sup*
pacta a statodignity,. scancaly inferior . to that of the
kingofEagbixL Mia palace, in external appearance
atlp4nt,fcrsarpasseefii.Jaiiie8 ? iaLondon»andisjBMQt
inferior to the aeffipeJeoB. A^lihe heads of govern-
ment ace princes; *nd Calcutta,, the capital, of alt
India, is well nftqwd the Chy of JMtaes. Tim
revenue of India/ which is eRortaons,:and.wfaicht
buudens the poor natures; beyond any thing \Hriob
they can much longer endure, is said to he innta
quate le the expenses of government Th& soil is.
the immediate property of the government, which
the people cultivate as vassals.

A vast army is, of course, required to ensure the.
peaceful poesaefrtori of such a country. The majors
ity of the soldiers a|e sepoys, enlisted in the country,
disciplined in European tactics, and invariably offis
cered by Englishmen. No native is avowed to bold'

*•

Irraffi&r nmn. * - Iff

. any office of trust, or- of much profit. The taiHtary
„ fcfrck i* diflbs6d over the whole country. * Every
* stibrig* hold is secured, and every large town, or other
im portant place,' is garrisoned. Hence, in whatever
fc |wtrt of India* we go, we meet wkb people of out
own color and language, in different ranks in life,*
* but all connected with the government We find, „
at every important rmfctary .station, Christian '
churches and chaplains, and nominal t/hristians, and
a few real Christians. We also find, in these insu-.
1ft ted spots, which are like little smiling islands hi the
ttridsfof the dark ocean, comfortable and elegant
houses, beautiful gardens, refined and intelligent gen-
tlemen and ladies, European markets, roads, bridges,
^carriages, and all that goes to make up the com*
*brte ami the elegancies of life. What a contrast be-
tween tkie conquerors and the conquered !

The \q$i important acquisition, which the Eng-
lish have made in India, is that of the Mahratha
country) in th& Deckan. This was done in the year
1818. The prince of the Mahratha states being in
his minority, the government was administered by
thePeshwa, (prinUe minister.) The Pfeshwa had
.confined the young prince in the fort at Sattara, un-
der the pretext, that he was non compos mentis ;
: ^ and had assumed the reins of government himself.
It is unnecessary to detail the causes that led to the
war which terminated in the subjugation of those
states to the British rule, and sent Barjee Row, the

*
^

Iff 0OWH1A&* <*h&m WaWA.

fesh«r»,ga a t«g pttgilaMgp to the faolyaity of
- Peaates, with a pmnim oftSQOftPO mp»a» a yaarl.
I^Wltowaa*d0iJUd*p*fte3, jh seeouat a£ iba"
^fcmfeaa coarse of ptHqy whieh be adopted*, bfttfe
tawatf^s the English and native gorenmtfntei a«»» ^
*tfe efaatueemit* Bat whether *te»Tfogfeh yfmm
right, iiv judgiag thit his msTbl* and bis treachery
afinded a just grouad ftr the© to sfttastiftaterWhat
they thought a better form of govetiHk***, I leerae
for tba politician todeefdo. Tha feot is before «%
that they did It j aad in this conquest, added afatibar
bug* tract of territory to their already eveigroar* poar
sessions; aod again repleaded their eefitp wpHfe
the wealth of ifa.e Peah w*. . But ia this, a* h» *M Jbfete
coaqplapts, thai* ia a semMaaeerol virtue aad* jue*
tice. They espoused the .cause. of therightftilJ»eir
to the throne, and P*t down the Uttjif*r.v*fc*t
what did they do with the usurper f A and- what
with, the lawful heir of the Mahrath* states?, Tfc*
fouuer<tbey seat $o Bteneres* the Wy frity ofall.J&r
dia, with a rich fansjau of*8Q0$0e rupees? $4O0#©e
a year; and to the latter tbey gaye-#$M*ra, hie
former prispn, aqth a small province «*4p*e9fr
Here ha wear* the crow% «d ai^beg ^el didht
roptra, •.-..;.« i i»

••
. * * - . . . , .<,,*- .- •- i'i!*' i . .ft

■;« ! • \U o* *fi<

.4*

Jb.

* *

• *

*■

■*

«
•

'ttttte <* i aiCE 'taeuft

* ■

■ . tt . * •

I7i

;.**« : * ,. "• CHAPTER* I|/. •- • * «... • *

. • <■

a^c« as a Missionwy FieM-~Itp iiuww Hiflt^^

**»*»> #oAi Declatn, BtiWffa, #> ftmtfr tountiy; u
" • * a teta£ 'af ftftiteffHltt ifttfcffinite import ; ft Was '

JMtieriy applied by Hhafteo geographers to all tfie
' OWnttie* «ritf cbifc »6tfr of Hi$ *Nerbuddah river: .
, Bot the x Mfchfcmedans ft&ldmg &ope9nanentpos£e# .
± * lKsti*satfdi of< the mer f&Mkita, ci^prK^dt the 1 name
1 p»^an tc»th« cofiimi^ W>»^ >^re sitliatetf t>et\veen
4l^ m© rivers, *?xi elrterklf^ '

a«hej#ast ? totteibsiy , of'B&ngjrf dlrthe east •• Since „
tbfeWiMf^este^b7*e'Englt8h, tbfe twin t«te uhde^
|oh#^toeh^Htt^ttt)0/ Whuf now if generally nri-
di mto c wl toy ti&Deekan j i&h&fpa flt oftoe above-men-
[ tkfced^ftlttrywh^^^ This

f '; it ueUnde^M tfie nor* and fteattffl! by the Ne*
* • ttfte'lui* tile Krftiitfa riifeft ; on th* west byth*
*baut M«fcrt«&i*, aM on theease by 1ht3 Godavery
.' liter, *Hkfe ^«rate#**torti the territories of the
Niuam trfHydrabad ; fml^ti^t^^Mriets^T^
' . na } Ahme&iuggur, Candish r f>M^,*Wthe poised
$bnsofth6>ra.]AM>f8httii7a.
% Tbe^Deotean, thus Infait^l, towpejwriation/<tf
. «ft** ti*U* liUtoa* ^tto*Hfoarths*D trtMHn flfntk

* • » •

1M - pxmxt mhjam «****.

•• 4

fhe> lfahratfca language. This territory comprise!
an area of W,000 sqpaiO miles, and contains, accord*
tag to Hamiltonte Indian Gexettoer, 9461 towns and
'tillages ; TfB9 of whick belong to the British gown*'
msnt And here the inquii^ vnil nattpalty ariee,
to wh&n do the o#M*« belong 1 U tna^iheiefim^
be well hereto explain the peculiar manner in which %
this part of the ootfotry ia«p oo a qttflcd . GoerenvMnis
VriAiti governments are common, i bsMevfe, tbroqgh* -
oat India. The origin of sneh a «tate> of things
seems to have been this: martial chieftains, and
others deserviqg well of the state wore rewarded, by .
their prince, withthe government of a certain aunt*
ber of cities or villages, according to their bravery,
or the number of troops which they had famished,
or the services which they had otherwise rafedevedb
As one of jtheee chieftains iaereasW the anm b c r of
Ms villages, ho increased his army m& tfstonded bis
>ower, and in time became an independent* prince,
rhis waa the case with tifiiia and Better, who
rare once generals m the lteshwa'e army. They ,
*igHt/or Mm, till ho bad enabled them to figtft
f *t**t* him ] then they fongbt for themseltes, and
itaMished dominions in^central India, stiH holding
to possession* which had been given them by tM
tshwa, in the Deekan. • • * ,'•

We wHl, for the stke of iitttstiMiQ£ tftfe wibjctt,
to for an vmofU the district or «oHectontrfp of
iBiWwggtr. Thit octttaia* • «c «*» »p««

the wunu of tillaoes. 181

miles, and 2,647 towns and villages : one hubdsed
and eight of these are ename, that is, they have
been given as a present to families or individuals, in
consideration of some important service which the
parties have rendered to government ; one hundred
and ninety-eight are jarghires, (freeholds) : one hun-
dred and seventy-nine belong to Sindia ; eighty to
Holkar, and forty-four to the Nizam of Hydrabad.
These different persons own their respective
villages, and exercise in them their several govern*
merits independent of each other. There is also
another description of land and village proprietors,
whose tenure, to the ear of an American, appears
somewhat curious. Lands and villages are owned
by Hindoo gods.' These places, which are not a few in
number, have, at some former period, been given by
their respective owners, to their favorite deities;
and the revenue of each village is, from this time,
devoted to the supposed benefit of its god. This is
expended in the different services at the temple, as
bathing the god, burning incense, fanning the idol,
sweeping the temple, and such like ; in sacrifices,
feastings, and processions ; and in the support of as
great a number of Brahmuns, and wives of the god)
as the revenue will allow. The reader will have a
better idea of these religious establishments, when
lie has read the eighth chapter of this part of the
volume.

Hence H is that the traveler or the missionary, is

moras or vnxAw.

heard to speak of being in the possession of differ-
ent native princes, in the same region of country, and
in the same day. In traveling twenty miles, we
may preach in one Tillage belonging to the English;
another to Stndia ; a third to Holkar ; and a fourth the
property of Gunputtee or Khundoba. This state of
things existed under the native governments, and
has been permitted to remain by the English as they
frond it The same state of things seems to be
alluded to in the New Testament The servants, to
whom a nobleman oommkted his goods, were re-
warded by their master, according to their fidelity ;
one with " ten cities," another, " with five cities."
One half of the villages in the vicinity of Ahmed-
nuggur, are subject to Sindia or Holkar, whose capi-
tals are in central India. The suttee has been abol-
ished under the rule of the British government, but
not in the dominions of these princes. Hence it is,
that thfc suttee is performed in the very heart of the
English possessions, but not under their govern-
ment- One of these horrid scenes took place, in
Feb. 1834, within five miles of Ahmednuggur, and
no notice was taken of it by the English government
Five widows, the wives of one chief, were burnt
about the same lime, within twenty-five miles of Bom*
bay. Perhaps the English authorities cannot, con-
sistently with their stipulations with these govern-
ments that they will not interfere with their religion,
directly control these things ; butts they eon con-

tral when, policy requires, trhjf may &ep npt what
right, and humanity demand 3

The indulgence, which Brahmunistii haa re»
cemd im the existing government, is, in my fift
fcion, repnahnnsiMa in the highest degree. There
are many good, men, both in England and in the
nervine of government in India, whot aft sadly
grieved a* such a state of things, bat «re unable to
apply the remedy. Treaties vara entered i4ta> and
atipuktions were made with the different native
powers, whan they yielded to British, domination,
which put it beyond the power of the pmeent JSk*
entiie to pursue thai stern Christian policy, which,
aa a Christian nation, to a nation of idolaters, they
are most solemnly bound to pursue. The peasant
government is reduoed to the sad alternative of
violating a most mnchristiam treaty, or of sagarding
it They have Deceived large sums of money, ea
the price.of , idolatry, aa in 4he ease of the pilgrim-
tax; and perhaps still larger sums go out from their
treasury every year, for the rapport of Hindooism,
as in the ease of the revenues allowed to difiemttt
temples. As a sort of offset against some of these
things, they support schools for the natives, on the
principles of frie toletatton, not allowing religion of
any kind to be taught in them. Aa the teaoherl
aie iddlaCora and priests, and the scholars am idol*-
ton, and^need no teaching to keep them so, theses
tefaretf^ amwuits oely to this, that Ckristmnily

shall not be taught intbem* 1 hart had an_ oppor-
tunity of seeing hew the prinoiple of these acboola
operates, both in Ahmednnggur, cad other places,
and have found such sebopls much more opposed to
Christianity than those are, which are wholly under
the patronage of the Hindoos themselves*

As the Deckao> in all probability, may soon be-
ooroe the principal field for the benevolent operatiqps
of the American churches in Western India ; both
on account of its presenting a wide and almost un-
occupied field, and from the fact that there are there,
fewer obstacles to the pleasant and successful prose-
cution of missions by Americans, a short account of
its former history will, I believe, be very acceptable
to the inquiring reader. Every thing which goes to
elucidate the history of a heathen nation, is a step
gained towards its Christianization. Christians can*
not be brought to act for the emancipation of India,
till a corresponding/eeting' be excited ; and this fed*
ing will not exist till these be a corresponding
knowledge of the character, condition, and history of
the people for whom they are called on to feel and
to act

I shall not here attempt to trace back the history
of this part of the peninsula, beyond the first Mu-
hummudan invasion of India, in the year 1000*
Previous to this important epoch, the Deckaneee
seem to have been united with the other Indian
fttates, in one great empire, or to have (at certain

Or THB DEOKAJT. ttft

periods at least) enjoyed an independent kingdom
<rf their own, in which they Jived, undisturbed
by foreigners, and in the enjoyment of all lbs
peace and happiness which a Hindoo govern*
ment is capable of affording. So it was* when the
Moslems first turned their hostile spears towards the
Deckan, in the year 1292. Ramdeo was the reign*
ing prince. His capital was Deoghire, now called, 4
Dawlatabad. The name of the first invader* waa
jUla, nephew of the emperor of Delhi, and .eoa*
Blander of his forces. As the diameter of the con-
tending parties, the wealth and imbecility of Abo
Hindoos, and the rapaci6usnett and cruelty i of the
Mussulmans, are developed in the account which
has been handed down, of this irst invasion* of* the
Deckan, I shall give it somewhat in detail.

The arms of the Mahummudans had now for
more than two centuries been victorious in Hindecn
stan. The terror of their approach struck a panic
in every heart. The rumor of an advancing army;
reached the capital of Ramdeo — and- Alia, with
a numerous host, was soon encamped before the
palace. Resistance was vain, and the panio^tmck
prince offered terms. Alia accepts fifty mattods
of pure gold,* a large quantity of pearls and jewels,
fifty elephants, and one thousand horses. On these
conditions AUa retreats. But the son of Ramdeo,

16'

MS aixa's nctoEY.

returning at this time, with an army to the capital,
attacks the retreating foe, without the order or
knowledge of his father. Enraged at this supposed
perfidy, the Tartars give battle to the idolaters, dis-
perse them with great slaughter, and will not now
stay the work of destruction, or spare the kingdom,
bat on the following almost incredible conditions :
That Alia should receive, on evacuating, the coun-
try, six hundred maunds of pure gold, seven maunds
of pearls, two maunds of diamonds, rubies, emer-
alds, and sapphires ; a thousand maunds of silver,
four thousand pieces of silk, and a long list of other
precious commodities, which surpass all belief; to-
gether with the cession of Blichpoor and its de-
pendencies. Laden with this rich booty, Alia re-
turned, murdered- bis emperor, Ferose IL, who
had come to pay him a friendly visit, and assumed
the royal umbrella.

Here I must be indulged in a short digression,
fehr the sake of delineating more fully the character
of this extraordinary man. Alia mounts the throne
Of Delhi in 1296 ; is twice invaded by the Moguls ;
meets them with an army of 300,000 horse and 2700
elephants; repulses them with great slaughter ; forms
the plan of establishing a new religion, but is dis-
suaded by a sage, named Alia ul Muluck ; devises
a scheme for universal conquest Fearing con-
spiracies and insurrections in his empire, he de-
manded of his omrahs (nobles) what were the pria-

alla'b gbabactol 1OT

cipal causes of the prevailing disoaders. Among
other causes, they declared, " thai the pubhc use of
wine was the source of many disorders ; for whea
men form themselves into societies, for the purpose
of drinking, their minds are disclosed to one another,
while the strength of the liquor, fermenting their
blood, precipitates them into the most desperate un-
dertakings." He then published an edict against
the use of wine and strong liquors, upon pain of
death. He himself set the example to his subjects,
and emptied his cellars into the streets. In this,
says the historian, he was followed by all ranks of
people, so that for some days the common sewers
flowed' with wine. He endeavored to equalize pro-
perty by laying taxes on the rich. His pomp,
wealth, and power, was never equalled by any prince
in Hindoostan ; his household servants were 17,000.
In one day he massacred in the streets of Delhi
15,000 Mogul slaves; He is, perhaps, but a fair
specimen of the first conquerors of India. Their
character presents an extraordinary compound of
the brave, the savage, the noble, the cruel, the gene-
rous, the avaricious, the devout, the profane.

Alia, now emperor, completed the-conquest of the
Deckan ; and, in 1306, carried Ramdeo prisoner to
Delhi, and made his country a province of the great
empire. In the early part of the 14th century, the
Emperor, Moohumud the Third, having visited
Deoghire, and become much captivated with the

186 Biroumoto

place, formed die wild plan of removing his capital
thithar from Delhi, changing the name of Deoghire
la that of Dawlatabad (or the fortunate city). " He
therefore," aaya the historian, * gave orders for Delhi
to be desolated, and men, women and children to
migrate to Dawlatabad. He commanded trees to
be torn up by the root, and planted in regular rows,
to afford the emigrants a shade." After haying at
most ruined Delhi, and afflicted his subjects with
incalculable losses and sufferings, by compelling*
them to remove to a strange country, 760 miles from
their old habitations, the scheme was abandoned as
impracticable.

From the year 1347 to 1518, there reigned in the
Deckan a succession of Muhummudan sovereigns,
who seem to have been independent of the emperor
at Delhi. On the dissolution of this Deckanee king-
dom, the Deckan was divided into the four foMow*
ing kingdoms: Bejapoor, Berar, Qolconda, and
Ahmednuggur. Of the latter I shall speak in its
proper place, where it will be seen, that an earlier
date is given to the origin of that state than is assign-
ed here. The seeming discrepancy doubtless arises
from the probable fact that the real or claimed inde-
pendence of Ahmednuggur, was some few years
prior to its nominal, or acknowledged indepen*
deuce. •

These independent states preserved their sove-
reignty till about the year: 1600, when they were

partially conquered by Acbur" the Gjwt, and
snore made a put of the empire of Delhi

During the reign of Jehanghire, the successor of
Acbur, the Deckan remained his tributary — half
subdued, half independent, bat always rebellion*
The complete subjugation of the country, however,
^ras left for that extraordinary character in Indian
history, Anrungzebei He was the " great Mogul,"
who sat on the throne of Delhi, when the " East In-
dia Company" commenced their career in Hindoo-
Stan ;' and who is so often mentioned in the early
history of British India. He was the great-grand-
son of Acbur, and the son and successor of the em-
peror Shah Jehan. He is known, also, in history,
by the title of All nmghire, conqueror of the world.*
He is, as I said, called great ; and so he was ; great
in war, great in council, great in his pretensions to
devotion, great in wading through the blood of
his family to the throne, and greatest of all in dupli-
city, dissimulation, and hypocrisy. He commenced
his public career, when only thirteen years old, as
viceroy of the Deckan, under Shah Jehan, his fa-
ther. The different provinces were now subdued,
and brought under a more complete subjection than
had been done in any former reign. The capital
was, in 1634, transferred from Dawlatabad, to the
neighboring town of Gurka, which becoming the fa-

• Shah Jehan means king of the worM— Jehangire. lard of the
world. Ornament of the world, sun of women, light of the seraglio,
are term* of respect applied to honorable femeiet.

rate residence of Aurungtobe, daring Ms viceroy*
alty in the Deckao, received the name of Aurung-

During die long and prosperous rtign of Au-
rangzebe at Delhi, which oootifiued fifty yean, and
eouoloded with his death in 1707, the Deckan re-
mained a province of his vast empire. A fermidar
hie power was now rising in western India, which,
daring the last years of bis reign, occupied all his
resources, and could only be kept in check by his
extraordinary mind. The Mahrathas, a people
comparatively of recent origin, and known only as
pirates on the coast, or marauding tribes id the in-
terior, gave him great trouble. Although overaw*
ed till the death of Aurungaebe, they then seized on
tnast of the southern portions of his dominions, and
sat up a new empire in the western provinces of
the Deckan. Nizam ul Muluck took the eastern
portion, which is still held by his successors.

Sewajee, a name well known in Indian history,
was the first who consolidated the Mabratba em*
fare, by combining the efforts of the different mtlita*
ry and predatory chiefe. He was born in 162&, and
died in 1680. The Mahrathas very soon became
possessed of the most formidable empire in Iudin
in the year 1740, we find, them in possession of the
whole of die Deckan, and of the Sou* of India,
Their dominions, eastward, were bounded by the
sea, and stretched north and south from Agra to

CHA&AOMft or TBI lUMuraii. Ml

Cape Gomorin. They had ransacked and burnt
Jtethi, the capital of the Mogul empire. The con*
quests of the Maforathas were of the worst possible
character* They never lost their predatory habits*
They acted the part of robbers — not of conquerors— »
who overcame, not to aggrandize themselves by
possession, but to enrich themselves by plunders
They swept over the country like devouring locust*
They conquered, they massacred, they plundered,
they burnt, and only left behind them the most
dreary desolation. Their empire, though for some
time formidable, and at different periods extensive,
continued to wane till its final overthrow by the
English, in 1817.

I have given only the outlines of a history, which
it would require some volumes to fill up. But this
is sufficient for my present purpose. JThe predatory
spirit of the Mahiathas is now broken. They are a
peaceable, inoffensive people. Though many of the
chiefs of their tribes are still living, and possessed of
their hereditary estates, there seems no apprehension
of a revolt. The people in general are extremely
poor. The cultivators are hard working and indus-
trious, and appear to be possessed of *ome integrity.
Still indolence, the hereditary disease of the Hindoo,
characterizes the majority of the people. The higher
orders of ttfe people are daily sinking in importance*
Their hereditary possessions are wasting away with*
oUt the hope of recovery. The Brahmuns are

1M MASEATHA BlAHMimS*

draggling to maintain their superiority, but m vain.
Blind as the people are to their gross impositions)
and corrupt as is the character of their priests, and
slow as the multitude are to fleam from foreigners
a lesson which they ought to have known long ago
without teaching, they seem not unlikely to be com-
pelled, by their poverty, and the many ills which
they suffer, to throw off a yoke which has galled
their race from time immemorial. The Brahmuns
in their turn complain of the degeneracy of the times,
and long for, but despair of, the return of that
"golden" age" when the poor Hindoo thought it an
honor to kiss the dust of his feet, and would not pass
him without an offering. If craftiness, address, and
consummate management could extort money, (where
one would suppose none is to be had,) then the Brah-
mun might still be, pampered on the hard-earned
pittance of the poor : or if pride, and high pretensions
to sanctity, and unblushing claims to diviuity, could
insure the respect and adoration of the unthinking
multitude, the Brahmun would not fail to be honored
and adored, as he was wont to be in the golden age.
God grant that the unhallowed spell may soon be
broken — that the pride of the one, and the blind
superstition of the other, may be forgotten in that
universal benevolence, which breathes peace and
good will to all.

•

C^AFXJER III.

Account of the Deckan continued.— Face of the country, ctimata,
seasons, soil, productions*— Walled towns.— Open oo*ntry.~
Flocka and nerds. — No roads.— Mode of conveyance.— Rivers,-
Chief towns. — Sketch of Poona.

The Deckan has an elevation above the sea-coast
of about 2000 feet It may be called an extensive table
land of the Eastern and the Western Ghauts. la
traveling from Bombay to Ahmednuggur, we pass
over the low and level lands of the Concon, which
are either occupied as rice fields, or contain large
groves of cocoa-nut trees, and ascend these nigged
mountains on the west, by a winding road to Kan-
dalla, a village at the top of the Ghauts, and a place
of some celebrity, as a convalescent station for Euro-
pean invalids. This road is a work of enormous
magnitude, and does honor to the enterprise of the
English Government, at whose expense it was con-
structed. The view from the top of the Ghauts is
grand and beautiful. In the back ground rolls the
western ocean, stretching to the limits of human
vision, and losing itself in the distant view of the
blue sky. Under your feet, but nearly two thousand
feet below, commences an extensive plain, intersected

„ by numerous streamlets, divided by deep furrows

MM TMB «HAVT KOURTAOn.

■

into rice fields, or covered with groves of the straight,
slender, and stately cocoa-nut tree, or diversified
with the mango tree, with its thick and beautiful
foliagt, and its wide-spreading branches. Other
portions are overrun with an underwood, and pre-
sent, from this distant and elevated point, a covering
of eternal green. The rugged mountains themselves,
afford the most sublime scenery. Tbey form a most
pleasing contrast with the surrounding country.
Here we seem to get put of India, and once more to
behold the scenery, and to breathe the atmosphere of
our native land. During the rainy season, the
natural grandeur of this scenery is greatly enhanced
by the torrents of water which fall on these heights,
and rush down in their forced channels, over the
perpendicular rocks into the plain below. I have
from one point counted more than twenty of these
cascades, dashing over precipices of some hundred
feet, and falling into one common basin, beneath.

As the traveler winds his way through these
frightful cliffs, he sees men and beasts of burden,
borne down by their heavy loads, struggling to attain
his point of elevation ; or he may see, almost over
his own head, but on a different bend of the same
zigzag road, a company of travelers bending their
course to the suipmit. Here he breathes a cool and
salubrious air, and regales himself with the pure
water of a mountain spring. As he proceeds
onwards towards Ahmednuggur, by the way of

sacs of in cotnmnr. 106

Foona, without descending, he travels over an im-
mense plain, diversified by gentle undulations, or
broken up by small abrupt hills and valleys, and
intersected by a great number of streams and rivu-
lets, which take their rise among the Ghauts. Ha
also crosses, if it be in the dry season, the almost
empty channels of four or five rivers, of the magni-
tude of the Hudson, the Connecticut, the Delaware.
During the rainy seasons these channels are full,
and perhaps overflow their banks? (Job 6 : 15 — 20.)
For eight months in the year, that is, during the
dry season, the Deckan presents but little more than
pne unbroken waste of barrenness and desolation.
No hedges or fences; no houses except in the vil-
lages ; no vegetation, except here and there a field
about a well, or reservoir of water, called a garden ;
and is artificially watered ; and scarcely a tree to
cheer the prospect, except it be a fruit tree, or a
shade tree about a village. The country presents a
dreariness of aspect which must be seen to be de-
scribed. From November till about the first of July,
the country presents but one dismal aspect of parched
earth, and barren rock. (Isa. 15 : 6.) But on the
return of the rains, about the middle of June, grass,
flowers, vines, weeds, and a most luxuriant vegeta-
tion of every description, spring up, as if by magic ;
and the fields, which a few days before seemed as
destitute of the root or seed of vegetation as the ash-
heap, are now covered with green herbage. The

tana took seems to have vegetated. All natim
Miles* The flocks and the herds ass no longer
tbliged lo thrust their noses into the earth, that they
may crop the dried stems of the grass, or extract the
very root They are now led out to green pastures,
(Psalm 23 : 2,) and, soon satisfied from the abundant
herbage, they lie down by the " side of still waters,
whither the shepherd, or the herdsman, has guided
them, or repose under the shade of the mango.

The eight dry months include both the cool and
the hot seasons. The cool season commences with
November ; and the hot season with March. The
atmosphere in the Deckan, during the cool season, is
dry, clear, and cool. The variations of heat and
cold during the twenty-four hours, are much greater
than in Bombay ; and, in consequence, the climate
*s not so favorable at this particular season of the
year, as it is on the sea-coast The extremes of cold
and heat from twelve at night to twelve at noon, are
about 46 and 80 degrees. Seldom however does
' the mercury fall below 50 degrees, or rise above 70
or 76. /

From the first of March the weather becomes
warm; but not always uncomfortably so, till the
commencement of the hot winds, about the tenth of
the month. These winds are a kind of sirocco,
and resemble in a degree the heated air from the
mouth of a burning furnace. There is nothing,
however, pestilential in them. Europeans, if they

clouts : hot iron*. Iff

are strong and healthy, do not suffer from this
son ; and those who are debilitated probably do not
suffer on account of these winds, but rather on ac-
count of the great degree of beat The mercury of
die thermometer almost daily ranges from 90° to
100°. This is greater, perhaps, than the heat at the
same season in Bombay. But there is this differ*
•nee. The nights in Bombay are as oppressive as
the days ; while in the Deckan, the nights, during a
greater part of this season, are comparatively cool.
Hence we throw our houses open of a night, as far
as our fears of thieves and robbers will allow of it ;
and by breathing the refreshing air a few hours,
we recover, in a degree, from the lassitude of an op-
pressive day. At eight or nine in the morning we
close every door and window, and, as far as possihle,
shut out the heated atmosphere. In this way, a
room which has thick walls, and not connected
with the roof of the house, may be kept compara-
tively, not always, tolerably cool. At four or five in
the afternoon, our prison doors are thrown open, and
we go forth to our duties without. We can also do
the same of a morning. The extreme heat of this
season is moderated in Bombay by the sea-breeze,
which daily blows during the same hours as the hot
winds in the Deckan. These winds are rendered
hot by their passage over a great extent of heated
land.

The remaining season is called the wet or rainy

17*

This commences about the middle of June,
tad continue! three, or three and a half months.
Except in these mouths, a shewer of rain, or a mist,
••Idem moistens the parched earth. On the sea-
ooast, the rains during this season are almost inces-
sant Day after day the water foils in torrents, until
the tanks and reservoirs of water are overflowing,
and many of the fields are inundated. The hea-
vens are shfonded in blackness; the atmosphere,
if not streaming with the descending flood, is damp
and gloomy ; the whole surface of the ground is
mud and water ; every thing is covered with rust
or mould ; and nothing but the " bow in the cloudy"
can aatify the mind that Bombay and the whole
Concon is not about to sink into a watery grave, it
need not be said that the sea-coast is an uncomfort*
able as well as an unheahhful place in the rainy
reason.

But not so die Deckaa. This is our most de-
lightful and salubrious season. There we have
alternate rain and sunshine. Genial showers, with
intervals of clear weather, sometimes of two or three
days, water the fields and nourish the springing
vegetation. All nature wears a most lovely aspect,
and only man withholds the expression of his grati-
tude to the Great Author of all his mercies. The
quantity of rain which falls in Ahmednuggur, is pro*
bably less than a third part of what falls in Bombay.
Hence Europeans, as far as their business will allow

or their means will permit, endeavor to- spend the
rainy season east of the Ghauts. Poona is the most
common place of resort

The month following .the rainy season, that is>
October, may be regarded, in all this part of India,
as the most unheahhful month in the year. Its
insalubrity arises principally from the hot weather 9
and the rapid decay of vegetable matter* The quick
and luxurious growth of vegetation, which covered
the whole face of the country, now vanishes mors
rapidly than it appeared. The saturated, earth,
again exposed to the rays of a tropical sun, sends
up its vapors, and these come impregnated by the
noxious miasma of the decaying vegetation. But,
as has been said, the quantity of rain is moderate in
the Deckan, when compared with that of the sea*
coast, and consequently the vegetation is propor-
tionally less. Hence this month in the Deckan is
much more salubrious than in the Concon. Per-
sons disposed to liver complaints, or subject to rheu-
matism, are perhaps the only persons who are not
likely to enjoy better health here than in Bombay ;
or any part of the Concon.

The soil of the Deckan in general is not fertile.
If well watered and properly cultivated, it produces
well. The cultivation in general is very miserable ;
and not a sixth part of the land is cultivated at all.
The soil is not suited to rice. Wheat may be grown
in abundance. Bajree, zoondlee, and gram, are the

■M mil: wtoroonows.

staple productions of the Deckan, and supply the
place of rice in the Goncon. Flax is grown ; bat
the only part used is the seed, from which oil is
made. The stalks are fine and short Hemp is
also a common production, from which ropes, etc
are manufactured. From the tops of the hemp, the
natives make an intoxicating drink. The tops are
plucked when green; and after being dried, are
steeped in water and drunken. This is called
Bhang* Nearly all European vegetables flourish if
properly cultivated. Oranges, limes, plantains, ba-
nanas, shaddocks, guavas, grapes, peaches, melons,
and citrons, only require attention, to be produced in
great abundance. The land is never manured.
When the soil is exhausted it can only be recovered
by allowing it to remain fallow>a few years. There
being no wood in the Deckan the manure is con-
sumed for fuel.

The people in the Deckan, do not live on their
farms, or scattered over the country, but compactly
in villages. This practice probably originated
from the insecurity which they have experienced on
account of robbers and plunderers, with whom the
country was formerly, and is still in some measure,
infested. The number, size, wealth, and population
of the villages which the traveler meets at any given
distance, depend very much on the fertility of that
part of the country. The distance from one village
to another, is seldom less than two miles, or more

WAUUED xowm. Ml

than six. The number of booses varies from 1Q ot
12, to 3000 or 4000. Every village is surrounded
by a wallt aud secured by one or more gales. The
wall is sixteen or eighteen feet high ; the lower part
is built* of stone, and the upper part of sun-dried
bricks. Nobody, except outcasts who are not at
lowed to live in the village, resides outside the wall*>
and no one will spend the night without the gates,
if he can avoid it. A little before sunset, the peo»
pie, who, in small villages, are mostly cultivators,
may be seen coming from the fields in every direc-
tion, bringing their farming utensils and driving their
flocks and herds into the village. Nothing is allowed
to remain without When the inhabitants have re-
turned, and all is secure, which is usually before
nine o'clock, the gates are closed, and kept during
the night, by persons of the Bihar caste, who are
the hereditary porters of the village. In the small
villages, the people are all cultivators. In larger
villages there are Brahtnuns, shop-keepers, artists,
etc. Every village, unless it be very small and
poor, contains a temple, a chawdee, (resting place
for travelers, and place of resort for public business,)
and a public tank. In large villages, these public
places are numerous.

Another feature of the Deckan is, that there are
neither fences, roads, nor bridges. This, however, is
not peculiar to the Deckan. Cows, sheep, goats,
and buflaloes, are driven out from the villages in the

IM snmn>s: hsidskkx.

morning by their respective keepers, who attend
them daring the day, " leading them by the side of
still waters, and causing them to lie down in green
pastures." The shepherd is always accompanied by
his faithful dog ; carries a long stick, and wears
over his head and shoulders a coarse blanket. He
lives on the most familiar terms with his flock ; they
know his voice, they follow him wherever he calls
them ; he brings back those which stray, watches
over the feeble, and takes care of the young ; " he
gathers the lambs with his arms, and carries them in
his bosom, and gently leads those that are with
young." The pasture-grounds are for the common
use of all. The shepherd and herdsman lead their
flocks and herds wherever they choose, except over
the tilled fields. These are not separated from the
grazing lands by any fence or other barrier, but are
guarded during the time of the ripening of the crop, or
of the harvest, for the twofold purpose of securing the
grain from the grazing cattle, and from the depreda-
tion of birds and wild beasts. A rude scaffold is
built for this purpose in the centre of the field, and
a temporary hut (Isa. 1 : 8.) for the accommodation
of the watchman. This office is generally perform-
ed by a lad, the son of the husbandman, or some
one employed by him for the purpose. The wild
beasts which prey on the fields, are, for the most
part, the wild hog, the bear, and deer. Those

which distort) the flocks and herds are, the tiger^jtbe
leopard, the bear, the wolf, the fox, and jackal.

The villagers generally possess large numbers of
cattle ; and, bat for their superstitious notions of ah*
staining from the eating of flesh, these cattle would
he valuable. As it is, however, they are of very lit-
tle value. Their cows and goats yield but a small
quantity of milk ; the wool of their sheep is extreme*
ly coarse, and of very little account. Their oxen
turn to good account, in the cultivation of their
forms, for carrying burdens, and for riding* and dri-
ving in the carriage. Those accustomed to the latter
services, trot over the plain like horses, and are
governed, by a rope in thq. nose or en the horns.
Buffaloes are used in every respect as bullocks, or
neat cattle are, though more common than eows
for milk, but less frequently used than oxen for
service. The buffalo is the ugliest animal in
India. He is of a dirty brown color ; high bones
and very long horns, sometimes pointing towards
the ground, sometimes running nearly parallel with
his back. Their horns grow at random, without the
least form or beauty. The buffalo yields richer
milk, and more in quantity than the cow. Still the
latter is generally preferred. Camels are much used
for carrying burdens. European travelers prefer
them to any other conveyance. Natives ride them>
European residents seldom. Asses are very com-
mon about villages, where they are employed to

carry bricks, slooe, dirty Ac, but aw not much used
for tinseling. They are regarded at an animal of
- wry Um casie, and their employment is similar to
that of the working clam of women. No greater
indignity can be put on a Brahman than to set him
on an am. This is sometimes done as a punish-
ment for petty offenoes. The Deekan abounds in
homes. They are small, called tattoos, and need
chiefly for riding, and carrying loads. The price of
a horse is about ten dollars. An ox is worth six
dollars, a cow about four ; a sheep or a goat half or
thee quarters of a dollar. • The natives never eat
beef, and very few eat mutton. They live principally
on bread made of a cheap grain, wtiich they eat
with a vegetable curry, or with Chili peppers. Half
a dollar will support a man on this fore for a month.
And their clothing is proportionally cheap.

Except the government road from Bombay to
Ahmednnggur, them are no roads in this part of the
country but foot paths or bridle roads, crooked and
difficult to be followed. A stranger cannot go from
one village to another without a guide. While the
natives formerly expended enormous sums, both of
public money, and private munificence, in building
and adorning temples, digging tanks and construct-
ing holy places on their sacred streams, it never
seems once to have occurred to them, that roads and
bridges would be a public benefit, or a private con-
venience. They traversed the country on hone*

back, or on foot; and conveyed the produee of .the
country to market on hillocks. Thee© ttavel about
ten Mies a day, in companies of hundreds, seme-
times of thousands. The men who perform tfcjf
sarvioe are all called " Brittgaries^" /or carriers of
grain. This* is their profession thraegh life. They
travel from one part of the country to another m
large bodies, wkh their wives, children, dogs, and
all they possess. They carry >grain, or other mer-
chandise, not on their own account, but as agents
for others. The men go armed with swords, shields,
and matchlocks, against robbers; and sometimes, if
the country be insecure, they .employ a guard of
Bheels.- These are the people* who are employed
to supply armies when in the field with provisions;
and it is not a little remarkable, that two contending
armies allow them to pass .and repass without mo-
lestation, though they may be known to be victual-
ing the enemy's camp. They travel during the
day about ten miles, allowing their bullocks to graze
by the way; At night they encamp in a plain, un-
lade their bullocks, form a wall of defence on three
sides, by means of the bags of grain, and place their
families, their household furniture, and their cattle,
in the centre. The latter are arranged in a line,
aqd connected together by means of ropes or chains.
Around the .whole they place their dogs, who give
the earliest notice of the approach of intruders ; and

if they be In an insecure part of the country, one of
the Binjariee stands sentry.

During n»re than half the year, the largest
rivers m the Deckan— rivers as large as the Con-
necticut and Hudson — arefordable. On the approach
of the rains they are swollen, and §H their broad
channels. They are then crossed in boats. These
boats, except where the government have provided
them, are frequently only such as the traveler con-
structs for himself on the spot. He takes a sleeping
cot, (native bedstead, which is strung with broad
tape,) and binds on a sufficient quantity of gourd
shells to make it buoyant, under the weight to be put
on it ; or the same object is gained by attaching four
inveHed earthen vessels to the corners of the cot.
Europeans, even ladies, have often been obliged to
cross large rivers on this frail craft.

The principal town in the Deckan is Poona.
Ahmednuggur is the second place of importance.
In the next rank may be placed Seroor, Malagaum,
and Sholapool, which are military stations of the
British government. Nassic, which is a missionary
station of the church of England, and Junere,
which, though not the residence of Europeans, is
the next most desirable spot for the establishment of
a mission. One person who shall occupy this station
should be a physician. Poona and Ahmednuggur
excepted I need say no more of these towns, than

cmr of noma. Mt

that they are central locations, mostly situated on
principal roads ; and they contain from 10 to 40,000
inhabitants.

Poona was the capital of the Peshwa and of the
Mahratha empire, situated about thirty miles east of
the Ghauts, N. lat. 18° 30'. Considered as a capital
of dominions so extensive, Poona was never large.
It did not contain in the days of the PteShwa, more
than about 100,000 inhabitants, and its aative popu-
lation has probably not increased since. Another
singular feature of Poona is, that it was never for-
tified with a wall like the other towns and villages
in the Deckan. It is sitnated in an open, defence-
less plain, two thousand feet above the level of die
sea, and at the junction of the rivers Moota and
Moola. These rivers after their junction form the
Mootamoola, which runs into the Beema. This
river afterwards forms a junction with the Krishna,
which falls into the Bay of Bengal, thus formings
during the rainy season, a water communication
from within seventy-five miles of the western coast
of India, to Madras or Calcutta. Though not for-
tified by walls, or by natural defence. Poona was
still a very convenient capital. There are, in the
vicinity, several hill fortresses, to which, in case
of an attack, the people fled with- the archives and
the valuables of the N place, after having set fire to
the city.

Poona contains several rather elegant buildings,

flOt fbibwjAi yalacbb.

truly elegant after their style. With the European
taste of convenience and beauty, we regard Vie iow
entrance, the narrow flights of steps, and the ssiall
windows, or rather loop-holes of the palaces at Poo-
na; as any thing but elegant -or comfortable. Nor
tore we better pleased with gildings and gaudy paint*
ings on the walls. Still we admire their dimensions,
their architecture, and their Asiatic splendor. Two
or three of these palaces, which were built by the
kast Peshwa, and fancifully named after the days of
the week, are still standing ; one is now occupied for
an English school, and another is devoted to die
purposes of government. It is said to have been the
original design of the Peshwa to erect seven palaces,
to be called Sunday, Monday, etc. Whether they
were all to have been in Poona is uncertain. When
he was dethroned he was erecting a palace at Pboot
sharir, fifteen miles distant, which still remains in-
complete.

The streets of Poona, which are narrow, crook*
ed, and badly paved, are also fancifully named after
mythological personages, adding the termination
war ree, (street,) and the members of the Hindoo pan-
theon are represented by paintings on the exterior of
the houses. So that as one traverses the streets, he
fcoay read the history of the Brahminical deities.

A complete and most beautiful view of Poona,
with its palaces ; its numerous temples pointing their
unhallowed spires to heaven ; its gardens, orchards

' ,

TAxmrrrxa bill. Ml

of mango trees, and plantations ; its cantonments,
and European settlements, and the extensive plains
stretching on every side to the horizon, and inter-
rupted only by a garden, a tope of trees, or a little
hillock, may be had from Parwuttee Hill, about a
mile west of the town. This hill itself is a most
picturesque, charming spot, rising in the midst of
a. fertile plain, to the height of a few hundred feet,
and covered at the top with a rich and elegant esta-
blishment of temples, and other idolatrous buildings,
These, when illuminated on certain festivals, afford
the spectator, in the city, a most brilliant and beauti-
ful spectacle. In descending from this delightful
Spot, by a broad flight of stone steps, you see at the
bottom a large square field, enclosed with high briek
walls. This is the field in which the Peshwa used,
annually, to assemble the Brahmuns from "all parts
of the country, and give them alms on a certain feast
day. Begging their way from all parte of India,
they came to Poona, when they were marked and
shut into this field. They were then called out, one
at ar time, and the gratuity bestowed. The Peshwa
is said also to have offered premiums to the com-
petitors for literary merit. An examination was an*
nually held at Parwuttee, when the successful were
rewarded with medals, sums of money, or other pri*
aes, according to their respective attainments.

There was another annual assemblage at Poona,
near the same time, with the one above mentioned,
of a more imposing, but of a less amiable charac*

!8 #v

ler , I msaa tto ftstrral of the Dussura (doorga
fxiega). On this occasion, the great Mahratha
ahtefr were in the habit of assembling at Poena, ac-
companied by prodigious bodies of their followers,
fct the celebration of this festival, preparatory to
their predatory incursions. Having propitiated the
goddess with offerings, and sacrifices of sheep, and
consecrated their horses, by offering to each of
then a victim, they set out on their plundering ex-
peditions, in the surrounding country, making lit-
tle distinction in their robberies, between friend and
fiie.

But Poooa is changed. It fell under the power
of British arms, in 1817. One day the banners of
ths.Peshwa waved over his palace, and the streets
of Poona were crowded with the proudest and
bravest army in India. The next day, that army
was repulsed and scattered ; the Peshwa, a fugitive
in his own country, hunted from fortress to fortress
Kke a dog driven from his kennel. The English
flag was waving over the royal mansion, and an
English collector of revenue occupied the palace of
the. haughty Bajee Row. The oriental magaift*
canoe of his court vanished in a day ; the native
town fell into comparative insignificance, and the
graceful turban, and the stately elephant, and all
the glittering trappings of Asiatic grandeur, gave
place to the military cap, the hat, the horse, and the
less gaudy equipage of the European. All thegreat
functionaries of the former government were- re-

ITS IttttmiT OONBITKUr. til

d«eed to the condition of dependents, or they vot-
tintarily abandoned their country to seek a better
fitttime elsewhere, or followed Bajee Kow to his ex*
jfe. The European cantonments have grown into
a town, adorned with an English church, laid out
in elegant streets, which are enclosed with hedges of
the milk bush, or the prickle pear, with English
houses, surrounded with beautiful gardens which
are enclosed with hedges, and yield nearly every
European vegetable, and every land of tropical fruit
Poona contains a baaar, which supplies the inhabit-
ants with every production of the country, and at
most every comfort or luxury of Europe or Ghina,
Few places in India, can vie with Poona, for the
beauty of its situation, or the salubrity of its climate.

It is still the metropolis of the Deckan. It is
preferred as a residence, by learned Brahmuns and
rich natives, and is a favorite resort of devotees ; and
no less a fkvorite resort for Europeans. All who can
leave Bombay during the rainy season, take up their
residence at Poona, The quantity of rain which falls
here is small, when compared to that at Bombay*
There is at Poona a Sunskrit college, patronized by
the government, but wholly under the control of the
natives. Here Brahmuns are taught their ancient
and sacred language, which few among the priests
at this day understand.

The military force at Poona is necessarily con-
siderable. It generally amounts to abdut two regi-
ment* of European infantry, a corps of horse artil :

919 AHKimnrGCOTB,

leiy, a corps of engineers, and two or three regi-
ments of native sepoys. These are all officered
by Europeans. No native, whatever may be his
character as a soldier, can hold a commission.
The number of European soldiers in Poona is about
9000, and the whole number of European gentle-
men including officers and civilians, public func-
tionaries and private residents, may be 306. ' There
are two chaplains and two churches, and two Scot-
tish missionaries, who, besides their various labors
among the Hindoos, preach regularly in English,
and have a Presbyterian church of a goodly num-
ber of members/ This is composed of soldiers, and
such gentlemen and ladies as have been educated in
the Scottish church, or from preference have since
joined it.

CHAPTER IV.

Ahmednuggur.— A district of the same name— when formed— taken
by the English— its ancient grandeur— present state.— Ruin* of
Mosques — Tombs — Gardens — Aqueducts, — Fortifications in the
Deckan— Htll forts— Excavated temples— The moral condition of
the country. — An extensive field for Missionary labor. j

Ahmednuggur is a town eighty-ttyree miles
north-east of Poona. It was built by Ahmed Nizam
Shah, (from whom it seems to have derived its name,)
in 1493, who made it the capital of an independent

• This mission has since beeen reduced to one member.

ITS fOMOOL HOTOKr.

state of Hie same .name. This dynasty continued
till the year 1600, when, in the events of revolution,
it became a province of the Mogul Empire, in the
reign of die renowned Emperor Acbur. It continu-
ed under the government of the sovereigns of Delhi,
till the death of Anrungzebe, in 1707, when it was
seized on by the Mahrathas, and made a part of the
Ffeshwa's dominions, till 1797, when he was forced
to cede it to the Dowlet Row Sindia, when he was
forced to yield it to the superior claim of the British
bayonet in 1803. The city was taken by Gen. Welles-
ley, *he present Duke of Wellington. The fort hasever
since been retained by the English. The city how-
ever was ceded to the Peshwa in the following year,
who seems to have possessed it till the overthrow of
his empire by the English, in 1817. Since that pe-
riod it has remained a part of the dominion of
the Honorable Company, and an important military
and civil station. From its central position in the
Deckan, and its proximity to the territories of the
Nizam of Hydrabad, on the east, k is a place of great
importance in the defence of the country. It has no
natural fortifications, nor is there any hill fortress
in the vicinity; its fort, half a mile from the town, is
a place of great strength, and capable of sustaining
a long siege. The town is situated in an open
plain, which forms, with circular ranges of hills, an
amphitheatre of about fifteen miles in diameter.
The population, wealth, and appearance of Ah*

mednuggur has, within these few years, considerably
increased. This has been chiefly owing to the
great accession of merchants, artisans, and laborers,
who have been drawn thither on account of the
military force, and the civil corps, which have been
stationed there. The native population is estimated
at 50,000 ; and the number of Europeans, including
about 800 soldiers, is between 900 and 1000. No
European (with two or three exceptions) lives with-
in the walls of the town. Their houses, surrounded
for the most part by beautiful gardens, are scattered
about the environs of the town, some to the distance
of three miles, and generally situated on rising
grounds, for the benefit of a cool and pnre air. Car-
riage roads have been constructed from the fort, in
which stands the church, to the dwelling of nearly
every European. The roads, bridges, barracks, hos-
pitals, mess-houses, English dwellings, and every
work of foreign artifice, which has, within these
few years, been constructed by the English, form a
singular contrast with the native huts of the poor, or
the massy, expensive, and uncomfortable houses of
the more wealthy. These are improvements which
have added much to the importance of the place.
Still, Ahmednuggur is far, very far, inferior in point
of wealth and grandeur to what she was in the days
of her Mohanjedan masters. Nearly a century and
a half has now elapsed since those mighty conquer-
ors possessed the city, and to this day, almost every

ITS PRESENT APPEARANCE. 215

rod of ground bears' some testimony to the grandeur
Of their dynasty. Palaces, ftiosques, tombs, gardens,
aqheduets, tanks, public buildings, and private
dwellings, of great magnificence, are every where to
be seen, both in the city and for several miles on
either side ; some in perfect repair, some in ruins,
and others falling to decay ; but all indicate a state
of grandeur and wealth which is nowhere to be
seen at the present day. The most perfect speci-
mens of the remains are the mosques. and the tombs.
Some of these are as entire as if they were but of
yesterday. There are two relicks of Moslem gran-
deur, which, in particular, demand the attention of
the traveler. The one is the Palace at Fariah Bhag,
three miles 'from town, and the other Salabat Khan's
Tomb, six miles distant, and on the summit of the
highest hill in the neighborhood.

The palace, which is an octagon of immense di-
mensions, stands on an artificial island in the centre
of a beautiful artificial lake of some acres. The
lake, again, is in the centre of a large garden, which
contains three or four hundred acres of excellent
land, and appears, from the numerous fruit and
flower trees still remaining, to have been an Eden,
- in which the eye was regaled, and the taste gratified
with all the beauty and all the luxury of the East.
An artificial rivulet, fed from a river at some miles
distant, watered the garden, and supplied the lake ;
and fountains were playing at different distances

216 XBB OLD FAZJU3B.

from the gate of the garden to the palace, and others
in front of the principal entrance to it. By whom
this noble pile was built, at what period, or to what
purpose it was devoted, does not appear. The
whole central part of the edifice is a rotundo, ter-
minating in a vast dome, a little higher than the
common roof, which is flat, and forms a promenade.
On the four principal sides, in the second story, there
are four enclosed rooms about forty feet by twenty.
The remainder of the building consists of open
apartments, which look towards the garden, in
every direction, through arches. There was origin-
ally neither bridge nor causeway to the palace. The
only communication was by ^xcater. The present
causeway is of recent construction. The rivulet
still feeds the lake, and the garden is still a fertile
field. The palace and farm, as it is now called, is
rented by government as a place for rearing silk
worms, and the manufacture of silk.

The Tomb of Salabat Khan is likewise an octa-
gon, and a huge pile of masonry. Above the base-
ment, in which repose the ashes of the Khan, and of
some of his family, the structure is three stories high,
and each story, I should judge, thirty feet. The
centre, like that of the palace, is one immense arch,
extending quite to the top of the edifice, and the
spaces between this arch, or rotundo, and the outer
wall, form, in reference to the former, three galleries,
one above another. The whole, though apparently

AiLABAT KftAff'S TOMB. 217

naintshed, is a work of great labor and expense,
and remains a very striking muniment of human
pride and folly.

Abmednaggur is surrounded by a wall about
fifteen feet high, constructed partly of stone and
partly of sun-dried brides, and is entered by eight
which are closed of a night and kept by
. Thie town, like most of the villages and
towns in the Deekan, presents a most dismal appear*
anceto the stranger. The streets, for the most part^
are narrow, crooked, and dirty ; and the houses low,
flat roofed, and covered with earth. Grass may be
seen growing on their roofer, and the sluggish ass
grazing there, or the roguish goat leaping from roof
to roof in -search of the best pasture. The Mohamet
dan* bear a much greater proportion to the Hindoo
population than is usual in India, There still re*
mam here a few families of high birth, who hold a
part of the estates of their forefathers. But in genenft
they am reduced to poverty and degradation. I
fcnow not how they restrain their indignation when
they witness the desecration of the tombs, the tem-
ples, and the dwellings of their fathers. Many of
these are fitted up as dwelling* for European*.
Christians, whom they affeet to despise, proudly and
thoughtlessly trample on the graves of their ftrthers.
Others are converted into stables, shops, offices, prirf-
«ns, hospitals, and manufactories. Even ' the mot*
humble monuments in theit common burying-place*

have been leveled to die ground, for the sake at
the stones* to be used in the * erection of houses
for Europeans. Their glory has departed. Ishafaod
is written on every thing which once showed how
great and how proud the Moslems were.

I have attuded to the natural fortifications of the
Deckan. These are too remarkable to be passed an-
noticed. The Deckan may properly be called one
immense plain. But it is not unfrequently diversi-
fied by beautiful rising grounds, varying in height
and sise, from the little graceful hillock, to the
mountain of several hundred feet. Most of these
have a smooth table land on their summits, and the
larger ones are encircled with a belt of rock just be*
low their tops. This rock is, by nature, scarped
Beat ly perpendicularly, so as to render the ascent
generally impassable, except by artificial means. The
warlike Mahrathas did not lose sight of this mode of
defence to their country. Winding or zigzag roads
are formed on the surface of the hill, by which the
ascent is comparatively easy, as far as the rocky
belt A pass is then cut through4he rock, by which
tten, and sometimes horses could ascend by flights
of steps to the summit. Sometime* this passage is
subterraneous, as at Dawlatabad ; in which case,
jhe strength of the * fort is considerably increased.
If the sock, in any place, be defective, the breach is
supplied by a wall. A garrison is posted en the top,
and batteries planted on the walls.

SOU, MMf» §10

A* » description of one of these fortiications is,
with a few exceptions, a description of the whole} I
shall only speak of one which I hare ascended and mi-
autely observed. This is in the vicinity of Juneie,
forty miles to the north of the city of Poona. There
is but one path which leads to the summit, and this
winds nearly half way around the surface of the hill;
before Beaching the eocirclifcg rock, and is so nar-
row that two men ean scarcely walk abreast. At
Boost every foot of this path is exposed to the unob-
structed fire of the battery above. We woe not
convinced of the great strength of the place tiU we
arrived at the gate near the commencement of the
reeky belt which forms the chief defence of the fort
As the huge gate, set with great iron spikes, or co-
vered with thick sheets of iron, grated on its rusty
hinges, one was reminded of Milton's description of
fee infernal gate. We then began to ascend the
steps, and passed successively through five simitar
gales, all of which seem to bid defiance against any
power which can be brought to act against them in
their peculiar situation. Nothing but the weiWi-
retted shells of the English, could ever have caused
a garrison, hare to surrender. On the top, are de-
caying barracks, houses, magazines, and reservoirs
of excellent water. Nearly all these forts are in the
hands of the English, but very few of them are
garrisoned.

The excavated temples of this part of the cm*

try are, pscbaps, still greater objects of curi osi ty to

*re very numerous. Tbe principal ones «e aft
Parlay Junere, and Ellora. The latter are tbe
most magnificent, and are said to be unrivaled by
any human work on the face of the earth* die pyra-
mids of Egypt not excepted* Some of these are
more than a hundred feet in length, by fifty broad,
and three stories high* As I cannot describe the
whole, for they are very numerous, and of a great
variety of forms apd dimensions, I will endeavor to
give some idea of one hese called Keylaa. This,
though superior to the others, does not, in its general
features, greatly differ from them, except that it is a
temple arfsmatty, as well as internally. That is,
after the temple was excavated, with doors, porticoes,
altars, and images, and tbe whole internal part
complete, the portion of the mountain above it was
removed, so as to form a temple externally, with
dome, spire, and court-yard; and the whole one
eatise piece, and of the same rock, every part re-
maining unmoved, as nature created the mountain.
The first object in excavating these temples was, to
select the side of a hill where was a solid rock,
without rent or fissure. It was then scarped down
till there remained a perpendicular ride to the rock
high enough for the gate-way. Then proceeded
the work of excavation from the top of the intended
room downwards, leaving portions of the rock for

Mft&AL COJMTKW. - 9tl

pillars of support to the roof, for idols, and any pur*
pose as. required The pillars are carved and orna-
mented with figured of men, beasts, and fictitious
animals. Figures of every description, and some of
them shockingly obscene, are carved on the walla*
But it is not my object here to describe the caves,
but only to tell you that they exist in the Deckan.
I have said that the physical aspect of the
Deckan is bleak and barren. Would to God that
its moral aspect were not more so. Here are tem-
ples, and priests, and holy places, and altars, and
v sacrifices, and holy days, and gods many, and lord*
many ; but no temple is here reared to the worship
of Jehovah ; no priest, as a good shepherd, brings
the wandering sheep into the .fold; no place is
saered to the praises of the Most High ; no sacrifice
is made to the only living and true God j no day is
hailed as a welcome cessation from labor, and a day
of holy rest, when the- soul may find repose on the
precious promises of God's word. From the cradle
to the grave, generations after generations of this
wretched people, worship they know not what, and
believe they know not why.

But, blessed be God, there now appears a re-
deeming spirit for this deluded race. It is not yet
fifteen years since missionaries were prohibited from
entering the Deckan. An attempt was made about
that time, to distribute books and tracts in Poona

and its vicinity. Two natives, one a Jew, were

19*

3X1 mSflMKASY US0SS*

despatched for that purpose. They came to the city
•f Poona, and then commenced their work. The
Brahmuus no sooner ascertained the nature of their
embassy, and the character of their books, than they
preferred complaints against them to the English
Collector, the chief magistrate of the city. He ar-
dently espoused the cause of the Brahmuns, seized
the books, and imprisoned the missionaries. It is
mid that he indulged! in the presence of the natives,
in bitter imprecations against the missionaries in
Bombay, who were the agents in this affair; and
told the people that they were greatly abused by this
attempt against their religion, and assured them theft
they should have redress. The books wore indig-
nantly kicked about the streets, and finally sent back
to Bombay, with the two assistant missionaries,
under a guard of soldiers. The whole was done,
no doubt, under the pretence of noninterference
with the religion of these newly- acquired subjects ;
and from an apprehension of a revolt, if any at-
tempts to introduce Christianity should be allowed.
The pelicy of Government might, at that time,
seem to require this precaution. But whero is the
Christian principle which allows a Christian na-
tion to conquer and to hold possession of an idola-
trous nation on terms like these ? The Great Judge
and Disposer of nations will vindicate or condemn.
He is not an idle spectator among the nations of the
earth.

ATTUCrtto AT POOJCA. ttt

Poor or five years elapsed before any further
attempts seem to have been made to introduce the
gospel at Poona, An attempt was then made by
the Scottish mission. Two of their number made a
preaching tour as far as Poona. They preached in
the streets, distributed tracts, and held public discus*
siens. Complaints against them were brought to
the Collector, the gentleman above-named. He had"
not been sustained by the Bombay Government in
the violent measures which he pursued in the
former instance, -and he now saw fit to adopt a"
snore lenient course. He inquired of the complain*
ants what the missionaries did, that rendered them
so offensive — if they resorted to any violence, or
wed any compulsion in their attempts to propagate
Christianity? They answered, no; but that they
talked and argued continually against Hindooism,
and in favor of Christianity, ami distributed books.
Well, said the magistrate, I will allow you the
same privilege. Go talk, and argue, and overthrow
their religion, if you can.

Since that period the apprehensions of Govern-
ment have been greatly allayed ; and missionaries
have- been allowed to traverse the country in any
direction they choose. Missionary stations have
since been formed at Poona, Ahmednuggur, and
Nassic ; and tours for preaching the gospel, and the
distributing of tracts and books have been made
from Candish to Goa, and from the Ghauts to Jalna

£84 JUTBAS1VJL tOLD

and Sholapoor. These, however, are bat scoutings
and skirmishings through the enemy's country. Only
a small part of the towns and villages, have yet
been so much as once visited by a missionary ; .and
probably not a fourth part of the population of the
towns where missionaries reside, has even heard the
doctrines of the cross. It is better, to consider here
what remains to be done, than what has been done.
We will make Abmednuggur the point from
which, as a centre, we will look abroad over the
spiritual waste of the Mahratha country. On every
aide appears a vast moral desert. Looking west-
ward, we see a single missionary station at Poena,
eighty-three miles distant Here there is one Scot-
tish missionary. To the northeast there is the sta-
tion at Nassic, 100 miles, and two missionaries of
the church of England. Casting the eye to the
north, it meets not with a cheering spot, till it stretches
beyond the confines of India, and not then, unless
the station at Mongolia should fall in the range.
Bearing to the northeast,, we find missionaries at
Delhi, 830 miles ; at Agra, 750 ; at Allahabad, 600 ;
and Benares, 550 miles. To the east, there is not a
missionary this side of the Bengal Presidency. At
Nagpoor, 300 miles, there is a single chaplain, but
not a missionary till we reach Orissa. To the
southeast there are no preachers of the gospel, this
side of Hydrabad. A chaplain resides there, but no
missionary. At the south we find the first mission-

aries at Brigaam, 300 miles. Taking the above
named places, at limits, the ana included can be
scarcely lew than 800 miles by 1000 equate ; and
contains a population probably of 40,000,000 ; cm
feurth of whom speak the Mahratha language.

Such is the extent of the unevangelized regions
in the interior, of India ; and, for the most part, com-
prised within the limits of the Deekan. And it
should not be overlooked, that many of the plaoss
named above as limits, may again be regarded as
centre*^ having about them as wide an extent of
unevangdieed country as Ahmednuggur. Of the
thousands of towns and villages comprehended in
this region of country, by far the greater number
has never yet been visited by a Christian missionary*
Previous to the establishment of the American mis*
sion at Ahmednuggur, in Dec. 1831, members of the
Scottish mission had, in two instances, made preach*
ing tours as for east as that city. The gospel has
now for more than, four years been preached daily
at Ahmednuggur, and great quantities of tracts, books
and portions of the Scriptures have been distributed
both in the city and through the adjacent country.
More than a hundred and fifty villages in the Ahmed-
nuggur district have been visited by Christian mis*
sionaries; three tours have been made into the
dominions of the Nizam of Hydrabad, as fur east as
Jalna ; and other tours have been made to the west
and to the south through the Poona district, and also

tiwQgh the territory of ttielaja of Sattanu When
we consider how many village* there ate in the
Deckan, which have never yet receiv e d a single
visit from a missionary, and how few of the inhabit-
ants of those which have been visited, not more pro-
bably than one tenth, sometimes not a hundreth, ever
come near the missionary to hear his message, we
shall again exclaim, surely " darkness covers that
land, and gross darkness the people."

If the heart of the Christian sickens when lie
contemplates the general fret that so vast a popula-
tion is, in the 19th century, still enveloped in the
accumulated darkness of ages, and for the most
part, without the means of being enlightened, how
much more must his sympathies be enlisted, when
he looks more minutely into their moral condition,
when he contemplates the bondage of superstition,
the abominations, the cruelties, and the general
wretchedness, which idolatry has, from generation
to generation, entailed on this mighty mass of human
beings. The debt which the church of Christ owee
to these 40 millions is no less imperious, because the
sufferers do not themselves present their claims.
The starving, diseased beggar, may not be able to
plead his case before you in person. But who will
say that he, on this account, has no claims on your
eharity, no demands on your humanity? Such in
(he nature oftheofaim* of the heathen, Thsircry
for help in beard, in the sad tale of their aiserice.

HOW OK* TO MISSKKAEISS. S87

Their appeal to your ecftnpassion comas in the dis*
gosling story of their abominations.

The simple Act that this extensive inland coun-
try has, within these few years, been thrown open to
die labors of missionaries, ought doubtless to be re-
garded as a divine intimation that the long night of
death, which has for centuries brooded over this land,
is now about to disappear, and the Sun of Righteous*
ness ere long is to arise, and to make this " region
wad shadow of death," as a city that needeth not the
light, because the Lord God is die light thereof. It
ought to speak with a voice that shall thrill the heart
*f every Christian.

I have said the whole Mahratha country, and
perhaps I may say the whole of India, is laid open
to missionary labors. Missionaries, however, would
Ml be allowed to reside in every part of the coin*
try. They may travel, preach, and distribute bodes
any where, if they have English protection ; and
they may settle in any part of the Company's pos-
sessions, with the permission of government, which
is almost certain to be obtained. In this the native
inhabitants of the place have no voice. They may
neither encourage nor wish the missionaries to set-
tle among them. If the government permit, there
is no one who can prevent it In this way mission-
aries may settle any where in the Mahratha coun-
try, with the same prospect of success as is experi-
enced, or is anticipated, at PoOna, or Ahmednuggur,

They hare no obstacles to fear but such as arise
from the stupidity and the prejudices of the natives,
and from their aversion to hear the truths of the
gospel. It is doubtful, in my opinion, whether this
Held will be open in any other sense, until it shall
be occupied as it now is. There can, properly speak*
ing, be no demand for the gospel, in any better sense
of the term, till it shall be known, embraced, and
appreciated. Should the door, which in the provi*
denceof God, is now open to the interior of the Pen-
insula, not be entered, we know not how soda it
may be closed ; and years may roll away, and other
countless millions sink to perdition, before the same
door shall be opened again. Whether missions in
this part of the country would be attended with any
more visible success, than has been experienced in
other parts of Western India, does not affect die
question of Our duty, nor is it needful for us to know.
This is only known, and can only be aflected by
Him who gives efficacy to means. That die
gospel should be preached to every cifeature, is a
simple command, binding en us. We must stand
or fell in the judgment of onr Divine Master, not
according to die conversion of every nation, but ac-
cording to our efforts to evangelize every nation.
Hence, it may be urged, that guilt attaches itself
to the Christian world, and to every individual
{Christian, if every field is not occupied as soon as,
by the providence of God, it is laid open.

r
«-

okigw or tbb wmon. a»

CHAPTER V.

Mission at Ahmednuggur— its origin— labors.— Death of Mr. Hervey.
—Removal of Mr. Graves.— First convert— Three Hindoos bat
tijed— Arrival of Mr. Bogge.— First Monday, Jan. 1833.— Inquiry
Meeting.— Baptise four natives.— Means employed In the Mission;

The American mission in Ahmednuggur was
commenced in December, 1831. The Bombay
mission had been reinforced the preceding March,
by the arrival of Messrs. Hervey, Ramsey, and
Read. A new station was, from that period,' in
contemplation, but no measures were taken to efiaet
its establishment^ till the following October, when
Mr. Allen and myself undertook a tour into the
Deckan, for the triple purpose of preaching the gos-
pel, of attending the Missionary Union at Poona,
^nd selecting a location for the contemplated mis-
sion. We accordingly visited Kullian, Junere, Se-
roor, and Ahmednuggur, in reference to the latter
object, preaching the gospel, and distributing boobs
in all the intermediate villages. The tour occupied
five weeks. We traveled four hundred miles, and
visited aboiU fifty villages. It resulted in the selec-
tion of Ahmednuggur as the most eligible spot lor
the establishment of the new station. Junere was
regarded as a desirable location* but could not be
occupied for the want of a physician. It is neither

AftmcAH kubion.

a civil, nor a military station of the Government, and
consequently no English surgeon is stationed there.
We cannot occupy such towns, till we can have
missionary physicians.

We found Ahmednuggur a large and an increas-
ing town. It was once the capital of a large Mu-
hummudaa kingdom ; and had but a year or two
previous been selected as a principal civil and mili-
tary station in the Deckan, second only to Peona.
It possessed the advantages of a good climate, of
British protection, and medical aid. It is a central
position, is situated in the midst of a great number
of towns and villages, some of which are of consi-
derable importance. And there were at that time
several pious gentlemen at Ahmednuggur, who ar-
dently desired die establishment of a mission there.
They afforded us all the encouragement in their

power ; and it is due to Mr. R , the Collector, to

acknowledge — and I feel a pleasure in the acknow-
ledgment—that he most cheerfully consented to the
proposed Mission. He is the same gentleman who
has been already mentioned as the Collector at
Poona, when the first attempts were made to distri-
bute books in that city, whose he adopted a very
-different policy in reference to Missionary opera-
tions. His views had changed. He not only con-
sented to our settlement in Ahmednuggur, but he
afterwards showed us many kind attentions.

The Mission having determined on Ahmednug-

AHHBDMUOOtnU Ml

gar, as the location for a new station, Messrs.
Graves, Hervey,* Babajee, and myself, immediately
repaired thither. The Mission commenced under
very favorable auspices. The European resident*
received us kindly ; and the natives were too little
acquainted with the nature of missionary opera*
tions to receive us otherwise. . During the first
three or four .months, we could preach to large
. assemblies of natives, wherever we chose, either at
our own houses, or in any part of the town. They
were always orderly, and generally attentive. But
the novelty soon wore away; our object became
known : the spirituality of the gospel was disco*
vered ; and, what no doubt was the greatest offence
in the eyes of the Brahmuns, it was also discovered
that Christianity and Hindooistn could have no com-
munion. The uncompromising nature of Chris*
tianity is, every where, in the opinion of the hea-
then, its most forbidding feature.

The Brahmuns began first to treat our instruc-
tions with indifference, and then with contempt
On several occasions they abused us in the streets*
and made our labors by the Wayside, and in the chief
places of concourse, uncomfortable, and oftentimes
very trying. They instigated the boys to hoot at
us, and pelt us with dirt and stones. Babajee was,
at this time, indefatigable and persevering. His
labors were indeed " labels of love," for his poor
aeuntrymeti, and tabots too of patience and afltio*

feM AHKEICAlf XSKON.

tion. These indignities, though aimed more par-
ticularly at him, did not seem to dishearten him.
No part of his character exhibits him in a more
pleasing light than bis conduct towards the perse-
cuting Brahmuns. When they mocked and reviled,
he ceased not to reason with them, to warn them,
and to pray for them. He always reasoned with
mildness and love, but oftentimes with an earnest-
ness and pungency which greatly annoyed them.
Still they could not but entertain for him a sort of
respect, on account of his stern integrity, and for the
unabated interest which he manifested in spite of all
their abuse towards him. They were convinced,
I believe, that he was a sincere worshiper of the
eternal and invisible God.

At this period, Mr. Graves was our principal
preacher in the native language. Mr. Hervey and
myself had not then been in the country a year, and
of consequence had not acquired a free use of the
native language. Our usefulness was, however,
greatly increased by our connection with Babajee j
and his, by our countenance and support. We sug-
gested, and he preached ; we led the way, and he
faithfully followed. In his public labors~he could do
nothing alone. The people would not for a moment
tolerate him, if he attempted to instruct them in
public, unaccompanied by a white man. In a more
private capacity, and in his own house, he did not
•offer the same inconvenience. But for his greater

influence here, he was indebted to hie conneotwa
with the mission. In the present state of Christianity
in this part of India, no Hindoo convert, who shall
honor his profession, and manifest a becoming sseal
for the conversion of his countrymen, would lofig be!
allowed to exercise the functions of a missionary,
unless he be under the immediate care of foreign
missionaries. The supposed connection between
missionaries and the English government affords
native converts the protection which they require.

The daily preaching of the gospel in the town,
and at our own houses ; our regular studies ; the su-
perintendence of a few schools ; and a tour to six-
teen villages in the vicinity, filled up the first five
months of our residence at Ahmednuggur. Mr,
Graves was principally engaged in translating the
Scriptures, and Mr. Hervey and myself in the acquit
sition of the Mahratha language*

We had thus far gone on prosperously, begin*
ning to indulge the pleasing hope that the long
night of spiritual death, and of the Divine displea-
sure, was far spent, and that the " day-spring front
on high" was about to arise on benighted India*
But alas! how short-sighted is man! He knows
not what a day may bring forth. In an hour when
we thought not of it, almost in the suddenness of a
moment, our dear Brother Hervey was transferred to
a wider field of usefulness ; to an unfading state of
glory and beatitude in the heavens f Tooapon*—

20 #

tti mJ O MWrn AMD MATH

»oi for himself, not for the erase of his Redeemer,

io general, but too soon for us who mourn — was he
released from the toils and trials of a missionary
Kfe. Too soon did he quit the scenes which had
been imbittered but a year before by the death of his
beloved wife. Too soon did he cease to care for his
orphan child. His sorrow was turned into joy, and
he mingles with angels in their song of praise to
God, and to the Lamb for ever.

On the evening of the 1 2th of May, the scouige
of Asia, the scourge, shall I say, which has since
left its native soil, traversed every nation in Europe,
and crossed the broad Atlantic, to take vengeance on
America, because she has not discharged her debt to
the debased nations of the East, laid her cold hand
on our beloved fellow-laborer, and marked him for
ks own. He dined with us at two ; called again at
half-past five ; changed bis apparel at six ; the cold
sweat, th0 sunken eye, and the ghastly countenance,
intimated, at seven i& the evening, that he was the
sure victim of spasmodic cholera. At nine he was
neatly speechless. Having taking leave of the
friends about him, and endeavored, in vain, to kiss
his little boy, who now started back with honor
when brought to his dying father, he survived till
four o'clock in the morning, distorted by spasms,
and suffering, agonies indescribable. Death, on his
first approach, surprised him ; but having recovered
from the first awful shock, his soul became quiet,

or KB* h«ivzt. M5

and he apparently quit the tabernacle of clay, and
entered Che eternal world, with a hope full of glory.
This afflictive providence still lies veiled in the mys-
teries of eternity. We only know that it was right, that
A was merciful and kind in our Heavenly Parent, and
productive of his glory. We are able to trace, in one
instance at least, that mercy was here mingled with
judgment. The wife of Babajee had hitherto been
a thorn and a vexation to her husband. She had
withstood him in his profession and practice of Chris-
tianity, and often grieved his soul on account of her
blindness of mind, and hardness of heart. Not till
she saw a Christian die, was she impressed with a
sense of her danger, and of eternal realities. In a few
months she was brought to renounce the delusive
system of her fathers, and to embrace the religion of
a crucified Redeemer. She was baptized and re-
ceived into the Mission Church on the 17th of July,
1832.

As the melancholy event of Mr. Hervey's death
wns accompanied by a joyous one, so this joyful
event was in its turn accompanied and succeeded
by a calamitous one. The health of Mr. Graves
had for tome years been declining. On this ac-
count he had spent nearly two years on the Neil-
gherry Hills, but derived no permanent benefit
It was anxiously hoped that a residence in the
Deckan would prove tolerable, if not beneficial to him.
But . we werqt disappointed. His physicians advised

a removal to a colder climate, as the only probable
means of preserving his life. He accordingly left
Ahmednuggur for Bombay the next morning after
the baptism of Audee, the wife of Babajee, and from
thence embarked for America. The orphan child
of Mr. Hervey accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Graves.

The labors of this new Mission bow devolved
en Babajee and myself. When we were weak, then
were we strong. We were not left without a visible
testimony that God is faithful to fulfil his promises.
The asylum for the poor, the aged, and infirm, which
had been established and was supported by voluntary
subscriptions among the English residents, had,
from the commencement of the mission, been put
under our superintendence. This afforded a daily
opportunity of administering to the souls of the in-
mates the bread of life, as well as the meat that per-
ishes. In the months of September and October,
several of the poor people became unusually atten-
tive, and gave pleasing evidence that they began to
care for the things which pertain to eternal life. As
I was one evening) about the middle of October, re-
turning from our five o'clock service, pppr lame
Kondooba followed me unobserved. The audience,
in general, had that evening appeared unnsually in-
attentive, and some of the bystanders had treated us
with open contempt. I had but just sat down on the
viranda of the house, half in despair, and began to
relate to the only earthly object abort me, who

must ntQvntBK. 9S7

would listen to and appreciate the tale of my trials,
the circumstances which had just occurred, and the
abuse which I had received from this ungrateful
people, when Babajee came up and said, "Sahib,
here is a man who wishes to speak with you." To
my inquiry what he desired, he said, "I wish to
be baptized." I asked him why he made such a re-
quest. He replied, "I am a great sinner ; my mind is
very dark, and I wish to be saved through Jesus
Christ." I asked him if there were no other Saviour
to whom he could go ; reminding him of the Brah-
minical expedients in such a case. He said, Jesus
Christ is the only Saviour ; the Saviour of the world:
And why are you now troubled about sin, what evil do
you see in it? He said, " I am greatly pained on ac-
count of sin ; I deserve everlasting punishment"
« Do you pray ?" -" I pray for light ; toy mind is very
dark." I cautioned him against regarding baptism
as a rite which in itself could save him from sin :
instructed him more clearly in the rudiments of the
gospel, and exhorted him to pray much, to hear the
word of God attentively, and to repent and believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ without delay, assuring
him at the same time that I should be most happy
to baptize him, if it should appear that a work of
grace was wrought in his soul. As he told me this
short and simple tale of his heart, my soul blessed
and magnified the Lord, and took fresh courage.
This man was of very low caste, and had been

•M BACTHK 4* CWT1KT8.

in the peer»ho«a* about four months, daring whicb
time he had almost daily heard the word of God ;
but we knew not that any favorable impreaskm had
been made on his miod. Hw case, coming to notice,
as it did, at that particular time, I cannot but regard
as a kind Providence, to cheer a lonely missionary
in the hour of despondency, and to show him that
he is to look only to God for success in his labors.

I have been thus particular in speaking of the
ease of this poor man, because he was the first fruits
of my labors in India. The kind reader will excuse
' the partiality; and when he surveys .the nakedness
Of the land, he will cease to wonder that the mis-
sionary in Western India should, after a residence
of nearly two years, feel peculiar emotion of joy and
gratitude, that oft*, and one too so obscure and des-
picable in the eyes of men, should be brought to
listen to his instructions, add to inquire after the
way of salvation. I am happy to add, that this poor
man, from the period of his first inquiries to the day
of his death, nearly three years, did not disappoint
the expectations which were first raised concerning
him.

4 On the 18th Nov. Kondooba and tw* others of
the same caste were baptized, and admitted to the
church, all inmates of the poor-house. The occa-
sion was one of deep interest. Babajee wept for
joy. He saw the travail of his soul, and seemed for
the time to say, " it is enough." We sal down to

* k

#• '

commemorate the sufferings and death of oar risen
and ascended Lord. One such occasion ispays the
missionary for all the sacrifices which he has made;
We were joined in this interesting scene by Capt
Sandwich, to whose kindness and Christian atten-
tions we have been often indebted, and by two other
officers of the eighth regiment. There were also
present, as spectators, about a hundred natives.
Some looked on with apparent interest.; other gazed
aft at some unmeaning ceremony. Among the for-
mer were three or four who requested baptism, and
were regarded by us as inquirers after the truth.
By them the scene was regarded with deep interest,
and, I trust, resulted in their good.

From this time most of the inmates of the asylum,
with two or three others, became almost constant at-
tendants at our family worship of a morning. - A
greater degree of inquiry was excited among them
during, the month of December. I was for the most
part of this month absent in the neighboring villages ;
and towards the end of the month made a tour to
Chamagonda, and thence westward towards Poona.
On my return I had the happiness to welcome Mr.
Boggs as a fellow-laborer. He had arrived in Bom-
bay from America the September previous. We
had, for the three preceding months, observed the
monthly prayer meeting, on the evening of the first
Monday, in our native congregation, Its object had
been explained } and at our meeting in Nov. an ac-

*
f

» •

MO Koran* *E*m umtx:

' count had been given of the rmsnt success which
has attended missionary labors in different parts of
the heathen world, and especially at Ceylon and the
Sandwich Islands. I assured them that it is the
practice of all in every country, who love and revere
the name ef Jesus Christ, to meet on the evening of
that day, and to offer up to God their tfnited prayers
and supplications for the outpouring of his Spirit,
for the whole world, and especially {or the conver-
sion of the heathen/ And to confirm this, I told
them that they wQuld, in an hour or two, see our
pious English frieuds come to our house for that
purpose. There seemed something in the idea of
this prayer meeting which not a little excited their
Curiosity. And the next morning I was told that
those who had been baptized, and one or two others,
came to Babajee in the evening, and, referring to
What I had said, told him that several persons had
met at our house, for the purpose of prayingjfbr the
heathen, and asked him if they ought not to pray for
themselves. Babajee readily assented, and they all
joined in supplications for the same glorious object.
The first Monday in January* 1833, I shall
always remember with the liveliest feelings of grati-
tude. On that day .God vouchsafed to visit us from

* I was not then aware how partially this meeting is attended in
the American churches in general. I had just heard of the Terr ex-
tensive revivals of religion throughout the United States, and believed
there mutt he a corresponding missionary spirit Does the present
appearance of our monthly concerts for prayer manifest such a
spirit 1 ••

i _

«•

FUST MOKDAT JAN. 1888. Ml

on high with a token of his faithfulness to the pro*
mise, "Lo ! I am with you." The day had been
set apart, though unknown to as at the time, by the
general assembly of the Presbyterian church of the
United States, and by other bodies of Christians, as
a day of fasting and prayer for the heathen world.
I find in my journal the following notice of that day:
"This has been the most solemn and interesting
day I have witnessed in India. At our morning
prayers in the native language, three strangers were
present, who said they had come to inquire about
the ( new way.' I found on inquiry, that two of
these were the parents of a blind man in the asylum,
who had requested to be baptized. Our son, said
they, has been blind from his birth, but now he says,
that ( he can see.' At ten o'clock Babajee returned
from his morning visit to the poor-house, in an ex-
tacy of joy, saying ' the poor people all come about
me, inquiring, what shall we do? They are all
risen up, continued he, and have their loins girt,
and are ready.' I appointed a meeting for inquiry
at three o'clock today, and to my joy and surprise,

there were sixteen present. A heavenly influence,
I am persuaded, was with us. Our Christian friends
in America must be praying for us."

These meetings for inquiry, conversation and
prayer, were continued weekly. Among .the inqui-
rers was the aged mother of Dajaba, who with her
son had accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Boggs to Ahmed-

S4t MUTH OV A COHVItT.

ntiggur, that he might enjoy the friendship and sop-
port of Babajee, in the trials to which he, as a con-
vert to Christianity, was exposed. In Bombay, he
had recently suffered much persecution and abuse,
and had once been beaten. We also wished him to
enjoy the instructions of his younger brother in the
faith, and hoped he would catch the fire of his zeal,
and be made partaker of the rich spiritual gifts,
which seemed to be imparted to Babajee. While
Babajee lived, our hopes were, in a good degree,
realized. His aged mother had been a stubborn
idolator; had cruelly persecuted him on his pro-
fession of Christianity, and openly declared that she
Would live and die in the religion of her fathers.
She had some time previously given up her idols ;
and now she renounced caste ; lost her hatred to
Christianity, and became, as we hoped, a sincere
and humble inquirer after the way of salvation by
Jesns Christ.

During this month, one of the most promising of
our inquirers died. He was old and decrepit ; had
a presentiment that he should soon die, and eagerly
■ought to be baptized. Late one evening I heard
that he was more ill, and he begged to be baptized
before he died. I assented to the request, and ap-
pointed the next morning for the administering of
the ordinance if he should not be better. But he
taw not the light of the morning. . At the dawn he
was found dead in his room. No one was with him,

but he was heard in the adjoining room to cry oat
for Babajee, and to ask some of his neighbors to go
and call him. But no one would take the trouble
to go fifty yards to call Babajee or to inform me !
He was heard to call on the name of Jesus, and to
speak of baptism. We trust he had obtained mercy
through the blood of our Redeemer. We gave his
body a Christian burial by the side of the child of
another of our inquirers who died three weeks be*
fore. The child was buried in the Christian way,
at the request of the mother.

On the 10th February, we baptized four more
Hindoos, one of whom was the aged mother of
Dajaba. The native congregation was addressed
on the subject of our creed ; each article explained,
and compared with the Hindoos' creed. An un-
usual attention was given during the discourse, and
the administration of the ordinance. As the little

•

church sat around the table of the Lord, it afforded
a spectacle which angels must contemplate with de-
light. Here was a beautiful illustration of the power
of the gospel to unite in one, persons of all ranks,
complexions and castes. In this little company of
ten Hindoos, there were persons of four different
castes ; two Brahmuns, two Purbhoos,. two Mahrat-
has, and four Mhars. Our hearts rejoiced in the
wisdom, the power, and the goodness of God, that
he had suffered our eyes to see and our ears to hear,
what we this day witnessed. Ride forth, glorious

t44 hatiyi oorrnts.

Conqueror! till thou shalt gather in one, all things in
Christ ; and make all men see what is the fellow-
ship of the mystery, which, from the beginning of
the world, hath been hid in God, who created all
things by and for Jesus Christ.

Success in his labors can never foil to give the
missionary among the heathen, the highest degree of
satisfaction which he can experience. Tet it should
never be forgotten, that, with this success, come
some of his most anxious cares, and his severest
trials. This will appear evident to every one, the
moment he contemplates the materials from which
the Mission Church is taken. The convert to Chris-
tianity is expected to sustain a character diametri-
cally opposite to the customs and the prejudices, the
practice and education, the views and the feelings,
which he imbibed in his earliest infancy. Suppose
a work of grace actually began in the heart of a
Hindoo, he may fall into sins for which he would,
in a Christian land, forfeit his Christian character,
and still he may deserve our kind indulgence. Sueh
are the sins of lying and deception, not to mention
licentiousness and many others. Children are taught
to lie by their own parents, and of course they feel
none of those compunctious visitings of conscience,
which persons, who have been nurtured under the
restraints of Christian morality, experience when
they utter a falsehood. A native of India is so ac-
customed to use truth and falsehood indiscriminate-

ly, as best suits his convenience or his fancy, that he
seems almost incapacitated to adhere rigorously to
the truth. I would not palliate the crime, but would
pardon the missionary for treating the unfortunate
creature with indulgence. Even at this early pe-
riod, we were obliged to discipline one of our mem-
bers for lying. Being detected, he confessed his
fault, asked forgiveness, and received admonition, -

The 4th of March also forms an era in the Ah-
mednuggur mission. We met on that day according
to previous appointment, to organize ourselves in a
church, and at the same time to form a society for
the promotion of Christian morals. We had here-
tofore existed as a branch of the Mission Church at
Bombay. After mature deliberation, we fixed on
the Presbyterian form of government, as best suited
to the circumstances of a church among the heathen.
A brief confession of faith had been prepared for the
occasion. Babajee had been proposed for an elder
and Dajaba as a deacon. Having explained the na-
ture of a community called a church, and the duty ■
and privilege of uniting in this capacity, we proceed-
ed to adopt the articles of faith, and to unite our-
selves in solemn covenant before God, to aid, com-
fort and edify one another. Babajee and Dajaba
were then ordained to their respective offices, by
prayer and the imposition of hands.

The object of a moral society was then more ful-
ly explained, and we proceeded to adopt the articles,

>2i #

24t. MOftAL SOCIMT.

which had been previously drawn up by Babajee,
and submitted to the different members of the church,
for the regulation of our moral conduct These rules,
which maybe seen in the preceding memoir, were read
article by article, and audibly assented to by all the
members of the church. They affixed, or caused
to be affixed, their names to the paper ; and the ser-
vices closed with thanksgiving to Almighty God,
and supplications to the great Shepherd and Bishop
of souls, that he would keep this little flock in the
midst of this dark, howling wilderness, and make
them to lie down in green pastures, and lead them by
the side of still waters. The whole services were
intensely solemn, and full of interest to all who de-
sire and labor for the salvation of the heathen. The
teachers of our schools, the inmates of the asylum,
and several from the town, were present. Such oc-
casions, which, to the missionary in India, are "few
and far between," are, no doubt, designed by a good
Providence, as a kind of compensation for the trials
and discouragements of a missionary life. Faithless
mortals we are, that we tire and faint, if God do not
almost continually give us some visible token that
our labors are not in vain. We are not wilting to
wait, even when we have his word for it, that the
fcithful ministration of his truth shall never be in
vain.

These were the brightest days of this infant mis-
sion. A cloud hung over us. Mr. Boggs had but

▲WKftSt IHCIDENTS. $47

recently arrived in the country, and consequently
could render no assistance in the native language,
and I was obliged to leave the station for a season, on
account of the ill health of Mrs. Read. She had
suffered from the climate almost from our arrival in
the country, and was now so feeble, that physicians
said she could not remain in the low country
during the approaching hot season, except at the
hazard of her life. It was therefore determined that
we should go to the high lands in the Mahratha
country, and there spend the hot months. Our
sphere of usefulness was not, by this means, dimin-
ished, but we were taken from a particular field
where our services at that time were needed. Nor
was this so much to be regretted, while Babajee, un-
der the guidance of Mr. Boggs, was prosecuting all
the ordinary labors of the mission. But alas ! his
work was almost done ! lie continued to labor with
unceasing diligence, till about the middle of April,
when he was seized with the cholera, and died on the
seventeenth. His death produced a sensation among
the members of the church, and the inmates of the
asylum, which, for a time, we feared would be fol-
lowed by very disastrous consequences. * They
thought all was lost, and were thrown into despair.
They supposed the church must be disbanded, and
the misssion broken up. This is all perfectly cha-
racteristic of the people, and. bears some resemblance
to the conduct of Christian converts in another part

348 mativi ooiivmk

of Asia many centuries ago. , When their head was
mixed and taken away from them, " they all forsook
Him and fled." They gave up all for lost.

The operations of the mission went on with
much less change than our native friends had
thought possible. The poignancy of their grief was
soon abated, and their hopes revived. The conse-
quences of Babajee's death, though less disastrous
than they had supposed, were still of a serious na-
ture. Our converts were not yet well grounded in
the faith. In every thing they were but children,
and needed to be led by the hand. The intimate
communication between them and us, was now, in
a great degree, broken off. Babajee had watched
over them as a father, and had that near access to
their hearts which it is impossible that a foreigner
should have. His wife, in particular, had been borne
on in her Christian course very much by him. She
now oftentimes became restless and dissatisfied ; and
in several instances gave us occasion to reprove
her for unbecoming conduot. She was sometimes
seen in the streets adorned with a profusion of jew-
els, and her face and forehead disfigured with hea-
thenish marks. She generally received our admoni-
tions with kindness, and reformed of the specified
fault

HI health in the mission families, and other dis-
asters, continued to impede the progress of our work.
During our absence to the Hills our " hired house 91

CH1MOM 1H TU MISSION.

burnt, and we were on this account obliged to
live at an undue distance from our labors, and con-
sequently were separated so far from our converts
that we could not exercise over them the necessary
vigilance. No house could be obtained at that time
nearer than three miles from the town.

During the year following, the ordinary opera-
tions at the station, went on without much interrup-
tion. In one instance Dajaba was left alone for a
month, on account of the necessary absence of Mr.
Boggs and myself. Several tours for preaching the
gospel were made in the vicinity. One of these
tours occupied nearly three months, and extended
far into the interior of the country. In the month
of February we baptized another Hindoo. Mr. Al-
len, who had recently returned from America, joined
this branch of the mission in the same month. He is
to be employed in itineracies, as far as his health and
other circumstances permit. In November, Mrs. R.
and myself were again obliged to leave Ahmednug-
gur, on account of ill health, with little expectation
of soon returning. We spent four months in Bom-
bay, where I was engaged in connection with the
press, and the mission chapel ; when, with the ad-
vice of physicians, and the consent of the mission,
we embarked for America. There are now residing
at Ahmednuggur Bev. Messrs. Allen, and Boggs >
and Mr. Abbott, with Mrs. Boggs, and Mrs. Abbott
Of the different means which have been employed*

MO M1AHS BHTLttB*

at this station, the direct preaching of the gospel
has been regarded as by far the most important. It
is through this that we must look for the salvation
of the Hindoos. And, surrounded as we are there
by a numerous population in the vicinity, who have
never before heard of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we
have regarded itineracies, as a very prominent de-
partment of our labors. The whole number of
tours which have been made by this mission for the
purpose of preaching the gospel, and distributing
books, since its commencement, three years ago, is
sixteen. The distance traveled over, 2200 miles ;
and the whole number of towns and villages which
have been visited, two hundred and thirty ; the most
of which had never been visited by a missionary
before. Some of these have been visited twice, or
thrice ; and a few of them even more than this.

There are two opinions in India respecting the com-
parative importance of itineracies. The majority of
missionaries are of the opinion, that this department of
labor ought, in the present state of missionary opera*
tions in Western India, to claim the missionary's prin-
cipal attention ; while others advocate the plan of
concentrating their labors on a few points. At
first view this seems plausible. But when we look
at the character of the field, we see that the concen-
tration of labor is rather ideal, than real, or practi-
cable. It can mean very little more than the perse*
cution, by the truth, of a few gospel-hardened punto-

]

AT AHMBBNCGOtnt. 251

(school teachers,) and a few still more hardened
pandits and domestics. These, with any other na-
tives who may be in the service of the mission, are re-
quired, as an indispensable condition of their services,
to attend at oar place of worship on the Sabbath. This
is as it should be. They ought, by every fair means
possible, to be brought within the sound of the gospel.
And we call this a fair means, because the condition is
perfectly understood by them before they engage.
Though they do not attend from any wish to hear the
gospel, bat generally, on the contrary, feel an aversion
for it, yet we have the satisfaction of discharging our
duty to them, hoping, in reliance on the Divine bless-
ing, that what is now irksome may become a delight;
and what is now esteemed a calamity on account of
their poverty, may become their joy and their inesti-
mable gain. Besides the classes of persons here refer
Ted to, we have no regular and constant hearers at our
stations. The number of occasional hearers varies of
course with times and circumstances. At the Bom-
bay station, where a person in order to hear the
preacher, must formally enter a chapel, go up a flight
of steps and seat himself among the assembly,
the number of occasional hearers does not prob-
ably, on an average, exceed three on each Sabbath.
The number at Ahmednuggur is much greater. Our
preaching places there are open sheds, by the side
of a public street, or near some place of concourse.
As the, people pass and repass, they are attracted to

369 If ATIT* 00MWM4TMUI8.

tfte place by seeing the little assembly which these
who ate required te attend make. They then stand
without, or enter, as they choose, and come and go
as they please. In this way oar occasional hearers
sometimes amount to fifty, sometimes a hundred. '

It will be seen from this statement, that we have
no department of labor which answers to that which
a parish clergyman enjoys in a Christian land; We
have, regularly, no voluntary congregations on
whom we may hope to deepen on a succeeding occa-
sion, impressions which have once been made. As
such a state of things has not yet, in the providence
of God, been brought about ; andjas the country has,
by the same good Providence, been opened for exten-
sive iteneracies, I am brought to the conclusion that
the latter ought to constitute the burden of mission-
ary labor. The distribution of tracts and portions
of Scripture, are of course here included ; as this con-
stitutes a most important and an indispensable part
of the labors of a preaching tour.

I do not mean, by these remarks, that preaching
at one's own station, may ever be regarded as a
matter of indifference, or of little importance. It
should always be vigorously sustained — and con-
stantly, if the number of missionaries and assistants
be sufficient to sustain it in the absence of those who
are able to travel. There is only about one third
part of the year when a missionary can, without
great hazard of health and life, be engaged in itin-

* ,

. ssa

entries. Duritlgdna period, every missionary ought,
<n my opinion r 4o iflnetate, whether the regular do*
ties of fcw station be continued or* suspended.' He
#nly leaves fcr threi or four months', a town where
ilia efforts hare been expended for eight or nine
months, in order to preaehin a bend red other town*
or villages, where he wil) be able to present the gp0»
-get to a hundred-fold more heathen, alid, oftentimes,
under greater advantages thafl lie could m the place
cf his residence.

The manner of preaching at Ahmedauggur, a* to
time and place, has been different at different times*,
Wot several months after our first arrival, we went
daily into the streets, and into places of coucoftrse,
each as temples, markets, and travelers', stopping
places. We here collected large assemblies, and
generally found them orderly and attentive. Bat
when the novelty of the thing h§d passed off, and,
more especially, when the Brahmuns, and the ircflu-*
ential part of the community, discovered the object
;of our labors, they made this mode of preaching so
•. uncomfortable to us, and apparently so useless, thai
we gradually refincfbiahed it. To suflfer ourselves
to be treated with indignity, in situations where we, *
eotitd expect rto redress, when we had othef means
of accomplishing our purposes, seemed inconsistent
,w1th the dignity of the^ gospel, or of its ministers.
Had we complained to the proper authorities, th*
natives flight affirm that our collecting puWic assem-

*54

Mies at their temples, or 'to the streets, or near their
•hops or bouses, was a nuisance We therefore pro*
cured ground in eligible places, and erected sheds,
where we appointed religious services on specified
evenings of the week, and on the Sabbath, We
went to these places about an hour before sunset,
and addressed all who came. Here, being on our
own ground, we could adopt and support our own
rules ; and we getemlly found it^eufficient to say,
occasionally, to a company of reckless Brahmuns,
whb would, not unfrequgntly, come to cavil or
wrangle, that .they niust remain quiet till the con-
clusion of the service, when they should have an
opportunity to propose questions, and to enter into
a dispassionate discussion if they pleased. Some* «
times they would remain, but more frequently retire, ,
defeated in the object for which they eaifte* '

During the first eighteen mdnths after the estab*
lishment of the mission, we had a religious service
in English, of a Sabbath evening. This was attend-
ed by several pious officers, and civilians, with their
families. They joined us also ' in the observance of
the monthly prayer meeting, on the first Monday of
the month; and in a weekly prayer meeting on
Wednesday evening. We also preached once a
week, during much of this time, to an, assembly of
European soldiers. This service is jstill occasion*
ally sustained by Mr. Boggs. The expediency,^
this measure is, however, at ppsent tfpich to tit

■• J

■ * -

ttlSSlQH SCHOOLS. % 965

questioned, as thfere is now a ctaplaiu at Abmed-
iraggur for this duty, Jn his absence, or with his
approbation) this field might properly and profitably
be occupied by the mission.

It only remains to speak of schools. We have
employed schools in the furtherance of the objects of
the mission, as far as we thought it could be done
to advantage We never have entered extensively
into this mode of, spreading the gospel The num-
ber of our schools has never exceeded four ; some*
times but three. The reason of this will appear in
• what follows. A school taught by a heathen teacher,
m order to justify its being supported from mis-
sionary funds, should have a most vigilant super-*
intendence. It should be visited by the missionary
daily. It is. needless to say, that & heathen teacher
will teach Christianity no farther than he is obliged)
lit order to retain his place. The regulations of the
school system require, that the children be taught
Ike- catechism, the commandments, prayers, and
hymns. These he will of course teach them. Bnt
this is a heartlfess business. A single word from the
teacher is, humanly speaking, enough to do away
any impression which might have been made. It
should always b# a maxim in our efforts to do good,
that if we fpnnot do what we wish, we must do?
what we can. Acting, or rather overacting, ou this-
maxim, missionaries in this part of India have for*
merly fallen into an error, in establishing too many.

aehoefe The consequence w$m, thfct sath. schools
were left rsry much under the control of tbsir hea-
then teaches. Some wet e visited by a missionary
once a week, others once a month, apd others, which; '
wBreat a distance, but once or twice a year. Where-
to the true policy of such a maxim, undoubtedly, ig,
la have no more schools than can «qjoy a constant
and vigorous superintendence by lb^ missionary .
And he should ever bear it in ming, that the direct
pseaching of the gospel is to be. his most promineat
duty as a gbepel minister. Acting*, on this principle*
we have had bat few schools at Ahmednuggur.
Were it possible, in the first instance, to obtain true
converts to Christianity as teachers; and, had we
such teachers,, wete it possible to induce heathen
parents to domrait tteir children to them, (two sup*
positions equally impracticable,;) then the system of
mfasioti schools woujd wear a different aspect., From
snob schools we should look for the happiest results.
We shook! look to them as the embryo of colleges
and seminaries. We should expect, to see the rising
generation co»e out from sash institutions, if not
converted, yet freed from many of the prejudices
and superstitions of their fathers, and prepared to.
efcert a beneficial influence onr their deluded cow**
tinmen. Bat the influence . which has ^et been ex*
erted by our scbojMs is not .perceptible ;. nor can .#•
espeot any e*Mrc&ive influence to be exerted on Ik*
present plan, CowW the children be separated fa*

tbeir parents, b* bapught under the constant ioflsi*
•nee of the missionaries, and be kept frog* the dft*
basing influence of idolatry, sanguine .hopes might
. be entertained of them. All attempts to do this have .
hitherto proved abortive. , The people most sturdily
withstand all our endeavors to bring their children
under an influence so strictly Christian..
'. The sad truth is, when the people learn by ex-
perience, that their children may attend mission
schools without becoming infected by our religion,
they have no objection to our educating their fay%
as they desire to have them educated,. but are ia ^
general too poor to defray the expenses themselves.
But were the discipline of these schools to become
as strict asl have supposed, and the superintendence
as vigilant, it is to be feared the parents would im-
mediately take the alarm, and withdraw their chil-
dren from the schools. If the schools were of such/
a character that they did not believe their children
aaf* from the contamination, as they lfegard it, of
.Christianity, they would not, lam persuaded, trust
them in our schools another day. Our endeavors at
Ahmednuggur to bring the schools under a more
vigilant superintendence, and to identify them with-
our efforts for the conversion of the people, have
pipvented ip from extending our operations in the
way of schools, or from constancy keeping up the
saoall number which I have mentioned. Parent*
thwo bare otysctad to their obilditn reading Chrts-

88* -

IN oo*

tianbtokfrai the tchoefe* Tbeyrfaywshail mate
41 the scholars Christians*. And the Brahttunaof
the town will not engage a* teachers, and use their

. influence to prevent othets from? engaging in oiit
eerviee.

There is another reason why the number of
mission schools is small at Ahmednnggitr* These
are three large sctoob in that place, supported by
*e English Government These school are frcp \
the teachers well paid, and the boys are supplied
With book* "of a description well surtied to the vitiated
iaste of a Hindoo. And wiiat is still more perplex*
iag to the missionary, they tire formed on that prii*.
ciple of Jeferafien* of #hieh I have elsewhere spcfc
ken ; and the sch6Urs stem to regard ii as the**
rigfUy as if they hnd the ssnfctidn of Ckmrnintift*
to abuse Christian bookstand missionaries, wi*r*
errer they meet tbetfe, Out Mtfpian at Ahmednng.*
gar have, probably, before 4his tine, mcwfct iatifesd
tie Government on this Subject, and 4bey wiH, k in

^ btehe ved, get redress. These Go wMnani schools*
form one of the greatest obstacles with. Which we*
have to contend, especiaHy in onreflbrts-ftr &e«tar
cation of the people.

Female education is in many respects * mattes
inciter to be desired by a mission, then the education
of boys. Besides the mental iaprovemen^in eitfees. ^
oane^ the education of the feibale 4ex strifes* at jot:
inveterate i^ejndiee, and hpfinn rin nliiisiMiiilKi^wl

_J A

(If ielfl *f WtevpriM off

. the Hindoo woman. On this accotint r we have*
teen partitinlady faifoufr to establish and swpport
finite schools. Were suoh-sehoob merely of at
lilfliary character, an iitoportaikt object is gained naf
rastAintng tfaefe. There ate^ however, the saoid
Hawbacks in the prosecution of this part of our sys*
tecA of schools, ats have beefc mentioned in reference
to hoys' schools ^together wrtfc ah additional one, of
still greater difficulty : I mbaft the want of any de-*
Aire on the part of parents, to have their girls eduM
cated. They fear it as a calamity; but submit to if
a« account of the pecuniary benefits which will ac-
crue by way of presents, and otherwise. Where
fiarfcale sehoals have become common, as is the case
in Bombbyy the children, doubtlesb, feel a degree of at-
tachment to thWr schools ; and some of them attend
attti learn, not by restraint, but with pleasure, And
their fathers, dot unlikely, feel gratified with theft at-
tainment^ and. wish them to continue in school tttf
claimed by their husbands, at the age of afcoiit t wel vo
years. Yet if additional pay were not gfren to fh*
Jeaeber of a female school, and ptaftenti to the girts itf
general weientt held Out as inducements' to regular
and prompt atte&daucey there wtankl not, ^rob&blf, bar
tfcjtaale sobool, a*er thrfce mofrths, in this part of In*f
<Ji*. In aeftud*M*witk this plan, .which is probably
tbfconly feasible One, tfe have*rot*ii^a>few feinafe
'zrtboti* id JUtfatfhniggii*. Thqw bavfe been ^OfM

•

**■

ported by die contributions of the Vtgtfeb ladies at
the station. The tide of popular fmliag, which front •
their origin existed again* them; the iH heahh v {
the ladies of the mission ; and the complaints which
the girls began to make for " mote pay,* bad, when
I left India, reduced the number of these schools Jo
a single one. A reaction may soon take place, add
a system on a more extensive and improved plan
may be adopted. If the day of India's regeneration,
is, as we hope > at hand, it must appear in the eleva-
tion of her sable daughters, from eueh depths of
degradation.

We have an English' ashooi at Ahmedouggur
for beys, which is taught by a Mpssulman, and at-
tended by lads of djflerent castes, as flmdoos, Me-
hnmmudans, and Jews, They are> for the most
part, very sprightly boys, and the school promises
success. The natives of India are very, desirous to
learn the English language, and fathers wish lo
have their sons educated in it. Their object, in
general, is neither literature, science, a tare of study,
nor religion— but money. If thfey havfe a know-
Iflflge of the English language, they may obtain
some lucrative "situation in the service- of govern-
ment. Such a school will serve to show the people
that we are their friends, and are wilting to aid them
whenever we can, m their temporal, as #ell4aln
their epirif&al concert*. Audit affords, ** say the
least, as good an opportunity, t»* Jlehittt* school, *

• «

AZCBQMr* O* THBSOTS. % Ml

ftt - the eoiMMicatien of religious infraction. It
is much to be regretted that religious exef rises could
not have beeu iftt*educed into this school from its
demafenedment, and Afterwards Sustained. Had the
s»periateodent adopted this desirable coarse} ho
would not hare been aUe to obtain Ave boys.

The foHowhig anecdote will show how exceed*
ingfy sensitive fee people at Ahmednuggur were, at
thai time* on the subject of Christianity. The
school contained about thirty scholars ; but in a day
otf two it was redmed ie fifteen. The cause of the
sudden decrease wad this : the boys had been sup*
plied, at a very low prise, 'with the American Sun-
day School Spelling-books. Spelling-books, oa ac-
count of th^ir scarrity, and the. demand created by
thd great desire to learn English, are much sought
after; and consequently the boys were much pleased
when they obtained jhenu After a few days, they
discovered that these boots #ere of a religions cha-
racter ; and the Hindoo boys forthwith left the
sehdols, without assigning any reason* A few days
dfcer, some of these Jboys called on a ntember of the
Mission, who inquired why they had feft the school 1
They replied, thai the new speHiftp-books contained
, something about Jesus Christ, atid, on that account,
they saidt they souI4 hot use them. They were
astogd to peitrt out any thing in the books Which
. tfaey thought otijeetieaatble ; and thsy hsppepted to
♦ dpea at a place where it was written— u Jesus said to

OOHTBKftJLTia) SVUfttBT.

them, Gome unto me ell ye that labor-and aie Ijeary
Men, and I will give you reek"

The contemplated seminary, or boarding-school,
which was noticed in the Report of the Board
for the year 1833, has not yet gone into opera-
tion. The plan, wore it practicable, would pro*
arise success. It & to take cbildfen from their
parents, when ■ about five years old, and to lodge,
feed, clothe, .and instruct them, exercising over
them parental care. The theory is good ; but
the measure, as yet, seems premature. Respectable
natives will not put their children so much under
our control j and it is not thought expedient to com-
mence the school, with outcasts, or persons of low
caste, as this would virtually shut out all others.
The stroog-hokl of caste must first be loosened, or
the people must see themselves compelled to such a
course by poverty, or they must .feel the influences
of Christianity on th*r hearts,* before they will
yield to such a measure. How< soon the latter mo-
tive will influence them, is known only to God ; but,
if an angel of deliverance do got apring up froria?
dtytyg quarter, frightful poverty will soon drjve the
people of Iridic to desperation. Should He who di-
rects the hearts, and governs the actions o€ all men,
bring them, in their extremity, to those who, tfl*hi*
providence, are sent thither to succor the distressed,
then hundreds and thousands may flock jto the miir
, sionaries, ^vc up their children to be sworted and

. ». . HO*E IfOB POOE U&ULS 203

educated, and- give: up themselves to serve the
. Father of all their mercies.*

Sometimes, 1 seem to see this happy, day arrived.

But again, featilfy* that devoted India has not yet
drunken her full *c up of, Divine wrath, I see the
work*>f oppression still going on, till the high and
the tow, the weak and the strong, in their desperate
struggle — some for pride, aid more for the bare ne-
cessities of life — devour and be devoured. The nu-
merous bands of marauders which still infest every
part of the country, afford the* desperate every faci-
lity for such an awful enterprise/ A ehange must,
ere Idhg, take place; While the Divine mercy is
Withheld, or the Divine indignation is suspended —
t while the cloud which hangs over India does not
burst, we will hope it is a cloud* of mercy. It looks
black; it is streaked with vivid lightnings;, a
threatening voice is heard ; jet these may be but
the awful manifestations of Omnipotence, coming in
mercy, but displaying the fierceness of his counte-
nance to a people who have so long abused his
mercy, and trampled his honor in the dust** While
we hope that the change which is working in India
will, in the providence of God, be overruled for her
spiritual, deliverance, we ought to labor and pray,
relying on the sure promises of God that the fervent
payers, and the faithful labors of his servants, shall
never be in vain. We ground our hope on the'
broad fouejjation of the Divine promises. Their

* »

GOD'SFftOXMBS >8B SSlg-

fblfilmeot may be deferred, but they <caooot foil.
The kingdom, and. the domtaipn, *nd tbe greatness
of tbe kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be
given to the people of the saints of 4he Meet Hi]
whose kingdom shall be an everlasting kit
and all dominions shall serve and t*ey him.

EN* op vol. I.

V S»

■ >*$